Yair Rodriguez is set to return to the Octagon at UFC 335 on December 12 against featherweight contender Steve Garcia, with the UFC yet to officially confirm the matchup. Garcia revealed the bout on Instagram, writing that he is "locking in for another one before the end of the year." Rodriguez has not fought since outpointing Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314 in April 2025, and was forced out of a September fight with Jean Silva by injury. Garcia is coming off a second-round knockout loss to Diego Lopes that snapped his seven-fight winning streak.
Yair Rodriguez is reportedly set to return at UFC 335 on December 12 against featherweight contender Steve Garcia, a matchup the UFC has yet to officially confirm. Bloody Elbow reported the booking, which stems from Garcia's own announcement that he is "locking in for another one before the end of the year."
Rodriguez, 34, is 21-6 and ranked sixth at featherweight. The Mexican has not fought since outpointing Patricio Pitbull by unanimous decision at UFC 314 in April 2025, and an injury forced him out of a planned September meeting with Jean Silva. Should the bout happen, it would end a layoff of roughly 20 months. Before the Pitbull win, he dropped a third-round submission to Brian Ortega in February 2024, and before that he lost a title fight to Alexander Volkanovski by third-round TKO at UFC 290.
Garcia, also 34, is 19-6 and ranked tenth in the division. The Jackson-Wink fighter is a southpaw with a six-foot frame and a 75-inch reach. He lost by second-round knockout to Diego Lopes at UFC Freedom 250 in June, a result that ended a seven-fight winning streak. His two wins before that came by first-round knockout of David Onama in November 2025 and a unanimous decision over Calvin Kattar in July 2025.
Why it matters
- Both men sit inside the top 10 at featherweight, with Rodriguez four spots above Garcia, so the winner gains ground in a crowded division.
- Garcia lands 5.39 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, against 4.65 at 46 percent for Rodriguez, a volume edge for the American on paper.
- Rodriguez holds a three-inch reach advantage in the other direction only on paper: Garcia's 75 inches beats Rodriguez's 71, a four-inch gap, and Garcia is also an inch taller at six feet to 5 foot 11.
- Neither man is a heavy wrestler, with takedown rates of 0.86 per 15 minutes for Garcia and 0.71 for Rodriguez, which points to a bout likely to stay on the feet.
Both fighters will be looking to bounce back into the win column after layoffs and setbacks, Rodriguez from injury inactivity and Garcia from a stoppage loss. Until the UFC confirms the card, the fight remains unofficial.
Saturday, December 12, 2026
