They call him ‘Lazy Boy’ in the UFC, but don’t let the nickname fool you—Ronaldo Rodriguez is anything but. With a fiery 17-2-0 record, this rising star is making waves and showing no signs of slowing down. Since lacing up his gloves in 2015, Rodriguez has torn through the ranks, driven by a relentless hunger that goes far beyond fame. Every punch, kick, and takedown is a testament to his ultimate mission—giving his biggest inspiration, his mom, the life she deserves.

Rodriguez’s journey into combat sports wasn’t just about becoming a fighter. His deep motivation comes from wanting to make his mother proud and give her the life she deserves. And with Jesus Christ and his mom as his heroes, the fighter’s dedication runs deep both in and out of the octagon. If you’re not already familiar with this powerhouse of a fighter, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. From his ethnic roots to his personal story, here’s everything you need to know about the Mexican hotshot.

What is Ronaldo Rodriguez’s ethnicity and nationality? About his early life

Born in Chiapas in 1999, he was raised in Veracruz, and ‘Lazy Boy’ who is not so lazy in real life, discovered his love for martial arts at a young age. While having a conversation with Marca.com, he spoke about how he found safety in martial arts. “I started as a child training in karate because I had a lot of energy, I fought a lot in school, and from then on, I realized that martial arts marked my life and kept me away from vices and crime,” he said.

At that time, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, where the young fighter spent his young years, was a very volatile environment. There was a lot of organized crime and many of his friends and classmates ended up in that environment. He found refuge in martial arts, which changed his life forever. He arrived in Mexico City at 16, with fighting in the UFC as his main goal. ‘Lazy Boy’ is just 24 years old and already has an amazing record of 17 victories and two losses. Rodriguez has had a pretty challenging life, and despite those challenges, he has changed the course of his fate by working hard.

Rodriguez got his nickname because of the flyweight contender’s grappling technique. His moniker stems from a move on the ground, and it’s a ground control position. Interestingly, it sounds great in Spanish but not so much in English. This man started his life by selling jellies and candy on the street where he learnt the most fundamental lesson of his life: Hard work pays off. He went through immense hardship but showed persistence, which brought him into the UFC.

Rodriguez’s journey into the UFC

During the same interview with Marca.com, he expressed the hardships that he had faced at a very young age. “I’ve gone through my father’s abandonment, having to leave my mom, not being able to fulfill my dream before… but that makes me stronger and stronger to give you this victory. I am a very blessed child who feels that I am fulfilling the dream after so many nights of being cold, being hungry. I am going to change the future of my family,” he added.

At just the age of 21, Ronaldo Rodriguez had gotten his first shot at the Dana White Contender Series. He was full of energy, bingeing his youth and rawness in a valiant effort against Jerome Rivera. Since then he has learnt a lot and trained harder. However, everything was not smooth sailing because he had spent one year off after the contender series concluded. Sadly, this was because of an injury that kept him out of the game for one year.

Following a five-fight undefeated streak on the Mexican regional scene, he took one year off before getting his chance at UFC Mexico City. “I was just waiting for this opportunity to come through,” Rodriguez said. “I had run through all the competitors here in Mexico, so I was just waiting for a call,” the fighter said to Cage Side Press. He fought at UFC Fight Night and submitted Denys Bondar via rear naked choke. The man who did several odd jobs like being a waiter and working in several workshops is now a renowned UFC fighter with an amazing record.

He prefers triangle choke and low kick as his Best fighting techniques. The 24-year-old is going to fight against Kevin Borjas at the Mega event of UFC Fight Night: Steve Erceg vs. Brandon Moreno. Do you think that the Mexican hotshot is going to achieve another win and make his mother more proud?