What does it take to make it to the grandest MMA stage of all under the bright lights of the Octagon? For Ronaldo Rodriguez, it was a road filled with hardships. But that wasn’t enough to slow him down. ‘Lazy Boy’, as he’s also known, is currently 1-0 in the UFC and is gearing up for possibly his biggest challenge yet.

At UFC 306, he’s set to face off against Ode Osbourne, a veteran flyweight known for his explosive knockout power and striking skills. With the stakes high, Rodriguez had previously confessed that getting a chance to compete under the UFC’s banner wasn’t an easy road. To chase his dream, the Mexican star had to endure many challenges to finally get to the Octagon!

Ronaldo Rodriguez had to endure dark times before he found the UFC’s spotlight  

When he stepped into the cage at UFC on ESPN+ 95 or UFC Fight Night 237, Ronaldo Rodriguez announced his arrival to the UFC in spectacular fashion. Taking on Denys Bondar, it took him just 2 rounds to lock in a submission and end the fight. It’s interesting to note that in 2020, ‘Lazy Boy’ made an appearance on the DWCS (Dana White’s Contender Series) but suffered a heart-breaking decision loss to Jerome Rivera.

But did that deter him? Not at all, as he went on a 5-fight tear before the UFC finally came calling! After the win over Bondar, an emotional Rodriguez had shared, “I’m blessed. I know how hard it is to follow this dream. I know how many nights I have to be cold. I know how many days I have to be hungry in order to be here. It’s a dream come true. This is for Mexico. This is for my people.”

In his UFC.com bio, Rodriguez also shared that he started training in 2015 because fighting always appealed to him ever since he was a child. But it was the promise of seeking a “better life for my mother”, that helped him endure the dark days of struggling as an aspiring mixed martial artist.

In fact, before he started fighting, ‘Lazy Boy’ confessed that, “I sold items on the street, was a waiter and worked in several workshops.” The determination and grit to push through all adversity have now paid off for him as he’ll be stepping into the Octagon at UFC 306 at ‘The Sphere’, one of the most anticipated UFC events of all time. And there’s already plenty of heat between him and his opponent as their press-conference interaction got very intense!

‘Lazy Boy’ gives an ultimatum to Ode Osbourne to “save that check” for UFC 306

Ronaldo Rodriguez is ready for war, and he’s not hiding it. The heat between him and Ode Osbourne was undeniable during the UFC 306 pre-fight press conference, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. You didn’t need to speak Spanish to understand that tempers flared as soon as the microphones went live.

Ode Osbourne started the exchange by stating, “Who has he fought though? If you look at my resume, I’ve fought almost everybody in the flyweight division… tune in Saturday night, I’m coming to show out and I’m coming to put him to sleep. Good night.”

Rodriguez didn’t hold back, passionately screaming across the stage at Osbourne with an intensity that made it hard for even the translator at the event to keep up. But one thing he said was made clear, “What’s gonna happen is I’m gonna break your face… save that check, it’s the last one you’re gonna get. After this fight they’re gonna take you out of here.”

So, as fight night approaches, the question lingers: can Ode Osbourne withstand the storm that is Ronaldo Rodriguez? Or will the young Mexican fighter, with everything to gain and nothing to lose, prove too dangerous to handle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!