It Works! Taekwondo Master Smokes the UFC with Crazy Knockouts - Yair Rodriguez

[@VineetontheBeat]

One important thing that shouldn't go overlooked about this guy is his sportsmanship. He knows when his opponent is defeated and rarely throws those extra, unnecessary, deadly blows. Even with that fight against BJ Penn, you can see he hesitates to the ref before the ground and pound after the knockdown. True competitor. True champion. Love to see it.

[@lynch42o]

agreed

[@normalnick9693]

well penn should have never been in the ring that night. if old guys want to fight, let them fight outside the top 25 or vs each other. good for yair though good guy

[@LowKeyWalrus]

he didn't hesitate to the ref against penn lmao he didn't wait for even a second... not to undermine his sportsmanship, just correcting your comment

[@Kurt_Man23]

​@@normalnick9693At some point for the old guys it's sink or swim. Roster needs to move forward.

[@whermanntx]

Something Penn didn't honor himself.

[@cjjams7930]

Dudes combos are absolutely insane, switching strikes mid flight that agile is an extreme athletic gift .....

[@scottyvand]

Gift/Very hard work.

[@aycz]

Usually people like that are glass cannons but this guy has good durability to recover if those mess up

[@lossantoscity3249]

I dont even know this guys before youtube suggested him. Ive watched dozens of his videos now and my god this guy is like a surgeon. Very Precise and he can judge his opponent in a split second when theyre down and stops attacking.

[@DefectivePieceofChalk]

@@scottyvand I mean talent is still a huge help. The efforts are rewarded faster and the limits tend to be higher. That's why the right combination of talent, genes, hard work and creativity results into the best of the best.

[@ohnegative9526]

That reverse elbow from beneath is absolutely insane. Pure art in motion.

[@marcusochoajaramillo67]

ong i saw that and i my jaw dropped

[@specialisedheavy9932]

just buckled the guy, out cold

[@bebophippie1781]

the silhouette should become his logo. Like Chuck Liddell's finishing roar.

[@legotechnictrains8999]

_The Skull Breaker_

[@cthulhustar997]

him: whoops...uhh i mean, yea i meant to do that was so clean looked like an accident

[@timperalta9430]

The reason why Yair's taekwondo works so very well is because Yair has the right mindset and foundation. He fights like a sluggish boxer but extends his arsenal with kicks. Boxing and taekwondo work hand-in-hand. And of course his unpredictability is unmatched.

[@ProYagu]

One thing a lot of people don't realize is that there is more to TKD than what you normally see for sport. Olympic TKD really watered down the art.

[@davidfrancois6835]

@@ProYaguSee, it’s vids like this that inspire me to continue TKD

[@Madheim777]

the problem is that WT taekwondo (the one you see in Olympics) overshadowed the ITF one, cause of a political stuff. the ITF taekwondo uses both kicks and punches since its a mix of Karate and a korean martial art called Taekkyion (which uses mostly kicks), while WT, despite using some punches, it uses much more kicks and is called more a sport than a true martial art like ITF.

[@timperalta9430]

Taekwondo has absolutely perfect techniques in their kicking game. Absolutely perfect. They just need to make their kicks go through their target. And like what I said, give them the right mindset like Yair's and they'll be very good. Edson Barboza and Paulo Costa too

[@bradley5431]

​@@ProYagu olympic TKD is not a deadly defense. but as you take the TKD training properly and use it in the mma for sure it will give a hard damage.

[@Retcon__]

I love seeing guys actually excel at specialized martial arts. Brings the art back to fighting

[@jacksolarmusicmastering]

yep, very exciting, i love people doing the impossible, not the same stuff over and over, can't wait to see a new proper karate guy bring karate on the ufc map like he does with taekwondo

[@MaharlikaAWA]

​@jacksolarmusicmastering like Lyoto Machita?

[@georgebecker5726]

@@MaharlikaAWA He said new

[@bojohannesen4352]

A shame his taekwondo turned into some weird Caipoera.

[@MichaelSorensen-bl3ec]

This guy has serious skills. Not many people could execute those techniques successfully. As one of the commentators said, many of the techniques are high risk, but if you can make them work, they really work. His low kick to the lead leg is classic Muay Thai. His kicks to the liver cause his opponent to drop their right elbow and leave their head open. Wow. Respect!

[@INONYMOUS.]

And people say taekwondo has no power

[@bradley5431]

@@INONYMOUS. who the fuck are they. That is my background during my school time.

[@ASquareNarwal]

​@INONYMOUS. Lol TKD is world-renowned for having the most powerful kicks in martial arts, Muay Thai is a close second

[@amoldivo]

​@@ASquareNarwalnah, taekwondo focuses on agility and speed, Muay Thai focuses on precious and power...

[@coaiemandushman1079]

So much fairplay and sportsmanship. He stops demolishing his opponents right before the referee stops the match. Simply amazing Especially at 19:51...

[@SuperMontsta]

Great sportsmanship, taunting opponent midfight. 14:26

[@coaiemandushman1079]

@@SuperMontsta it's called 'having fun'

[@SuperMontsta]

@@coaiemandushman1079 it's taunting, and it's bad sportsmanship. Hitting someone until red calls the fight is way more legit than taunting

[@coaiemandushman1079]

@@SuperMontsta mmmmmmmkay

[@sl0Niu]

i think hes that good, he control the fight so much, his reflex tells him the opponent is too passive thus he stop fighting, dude is real flash xd

[@Youngasianshotta]

yair is known for his great fast and powerful kicks but one thing that I notice is he is a real good elbow stricker. he's elbow is brutal

[@tomjones9519]

stricker???

[@Last_Chance.]

​@@tomjones9519stricker beats strikers 10/10 times

[@gavinstarke1184]

No one realizes that Tae uses elbow strikes and such. Deadly combo's with Ju Jitsu, Muay Thai, and definitely to not mention the least value Kung Fu. That is where you really hone the unpredictability in the MMA world.

[@syukrihantu]

Him Vs Zabit is one of the greatest UFC fights that never happened. Imagine the fireworks

[@rinoananta920]

Bruce lee vs Jackie chen😅

[@Matt.m6]

@@rinoananta920 wot

[@nicholaswhorley8343]

Yea, but him against Zombie was one of the greatest that did happen. I'd wager that nothing tops that fight for Yair's pairings.

[@er-erison]

Yes, for early round. But zabit will be gassed out after 3 round

[@balbin0329]

Onof the few fights that i hate the UFC for. Can't believe Dana didn't make it happen.

[@santoscostaj1764]

That knockout of Korean zombie remains the best ko in ufc history. Not because of the damage inflicted or brutality of it but because nobody has ever attempted that elbow before or ever will again. That was a one of a kind KO that will never be replicated ever again

[@classicclipsF_TV]

Lol he did hit it on Edgar though.

[@AkinataMoon]

He also Hit it on holloway but yea hes thr only fighter that does These things

[@geezuphosdown12]

Didn't Anderson Silva do this exact move?

[@gogyoo]

Gane tried it with Lewis as well I think, though it was not his goal to drop him.

[@kylekonopka8292]

@@geezuphosdown12Silva threw a “regular” up elbow while Yair threw a reverse one. Similar moves though

[@lestatg8]

his taekwondo kicks were lightning fast and effective... but damn, he so freaking creative with his elbows...

[@evertonmiranda2004]

This narration and humour are unmatchable in MMA world. Congratulations!

[@robertjones6628]

That knockout in the TUF semi-finals was a great display of sportsmanship, he knew the fight was over, 2 seconds later, the ref agreed saying "yup" 👍

[@greglane334]

As entertaining as he is, I have a lot of respect for his sportsmanship. A true martial artist

[@rynethorup5690]

I used to have trouble when people would ask me what the greatest mma knockout of all time was untill i saw Yair KO the Korean Zombie. the knockout itself was absolutely insane, but the fact that it was at 4:59 in the 5th round makes it legendary. Such a creative move and landed with such precision and speed that almost no one knew wtf just happened til the replay. Nothing beats that one for me

[@tofusauce]

Beat the Korean with their own style.

[@Star.Chaser]

Raymond Daniels has the best ko/s

[@SlickCat]

The shape these guys are in is absolutely amazing. Yair is a buzzsaw with kicks, punches and elbows and never even seems out of breath. 😳

[@noverwatch1528]

Bruh you're joking he's gassed himself in a few fights

[@thecooljohn100]

@@noverwatch1528Yeah, a few. Some guys gass out EVERY fight. There's no denying he has great stamina for the amount of consistent punishment he throws out.

[@kermit1211]

well if u come from a martial art and sport that mostly uses kicks in competition, your stamina has to be insane. Not to mention the pace Taekwondo fighters fight at

[@djnickkobg]

This has to be the best channel on KZbin, where you can follow a fighters journey in depth, in HD and with great commentary. Good job! Subscribed!

[@robp7260]

“Solved the two-body problem with a scissor kick” 😂😂😂 funniest line I’ve ever heard

[@kirillzakharov7336]

what about "as scary as your psycho ex girlfriend"

[@Jinxyjones]

Respect to his killer instinct and martial arts composure after sending opponents to the shadow realms. For the weight class he got plenty of walk off ko's

[@petehira1594]

hes no weight loss bully either hope he wastes the aussie volk

[@Javv11..]

​@@petehira1594my heart says yair but me head says volk wither way both of them are good asf🇦🇺🇲🇽

[@Jinxyjones]

@petehira1594 Yes true dat. Volk is no doubt great but it's more fun with dynamic Champs

[@rexoni2512]

​@@petehira1594 Huh? You talking like there are a lot of weight bully in 145. Only Connor did that.

[@UndercoverNormie]

Thank you for these videos. I don't really keep up with MMA all the time and some of these guys just slip past my radar. This dude's a beast

[@RDD87z]

i think i never enjoyed so much watching someone fighting than yair... This is true art.

[@brianwallace3980]

bruv...the comentary on these videos is dope as hell. its part of the reason i watch these. thank you for sharing.

[@HarunsWorkouts]

Man this guy is an all around champion and true sportsman. Respect.

[@vitornogueira05]

Props to the narrator! I love his sense of humor 😂

[@skyrider4789]

A lot of people talk trash about Tae-Kwon-Do. Practitioners who REALLY know and execute it as Rodriguez does, along with Ju Jitsu, are tough to beat.

[@sarcasticsuperjerk18]

Seriously man. It’s so sad to see how it’s bastardized as the “sports martial art” when I’d honestly put it up there with one of the better martial arts like Muay Thai.

[@Madheim777]

sadly, the WT taekwondo (the one in olympics) overshadowed cause of political conflicts the traditional one which is ITF, that uses both kicks and punches, while WT focus more on kicks and is considered a sport.

[@rosario508]

And he seems to posses a great sense of sportsmanship. He doesn’t continue to punish his opponent when it’s completely unnecessary

[@Tuboshi0815]

bUt tHaTS paRt ofThe sPorT!

[@0pinion0lympics]

Because he is a martial artist first and mixed martial artist second. Martial artists from a young age are taught to respect their opponents.

[@OsirisThaMystikal]

@JONATHANJOHNSON-tn4rkmy brain is going to hemorrhage if i spend any more time trying to read this

[@OsirisThaMystikal]

@JONATHANJOHNSON-tn4rkohhh i get it now. you are a corny individual lmao

[@Bwern]

what is wrong with you @JONATHANJOHNSON-tn4rk

[@ashraftarabishi2319]

He is my favourit UFC fighter of all time. May be not always consistent winner. But his style and personality is so much on fire💪🔥🔥. He is the best to watch.

[@christosswc]

His sportsmanship stands out as much as his talent and hard work

[@chriskindler7625]

FANTASTIC VIDEO!!!!!!! Now I'm rooting for this guy!!!!!

[@Kane-ez]

Some of the best kick / punch combos great fighter

[@ds.3577]

The elbow on zombie was brutal.

[@noburozen4121]

Master piece !!!

[@TheCrimsonChin91]

@@noburozen4121 Better lucky than good

[@Vigeta420]

@@TheCrimsonChin91 Not lucky he elbowed him and he got KOd.

[@ghagzor]

It was luck. He was losing the fight and got a KO at literally the last second of the fight. If it went to a decision he would have lost Great exciting fighter tho

[@Vigeta420]

@@ghagzor But thats not luck. U the type of casual who says leon edwards got lucky lmao typical casual

[@Redrum___]

Bruh, that fight with the Korean Zombie...it was to me, the best fight I ever watched. Idk, to me, honestly it is an essential and mandatory watch for any fighter and/or fan, no matter how dedicated. It was....fucken....staggering. Watching the entire fight, makes the Knockout better, I promise this to anyone who haven't watched it. It was impeccably great.

[@richardballan2013]

all his top 10 fights seemed like a good match

[@andiferdhian9649]

been following him since long time ago. the most creative and aggresive fighter.I hope he can get his real belt, not that fake interim belt.

[@alexandertaylor1225]

Fantastic video as always. This channel should have 10M subs. Also the narration is top notch.

[@anonymous62810]

Very unpredictable and entertaining! I think Volk is rightly concerned about next weekend! I think while he's the strong favorite - Yair has that unpredictable frenzy that could catch Volk!

[@LandonBell11]

Anyone can get caught on the chin.. Yair has so many options for how to go about that. It's similar to the Islam fight for me, because I am a big fan of both.

[@killerkendro]

Volks got Izzy and Craig Jones training him for this one. Sorry but Yair is fooked

[@UziPeters]

Volkanovski walked all over him.

[@tankjones513]

My new favorite thing to do is watch these awesome VS breakdown vids and then watch the fights he lists. I'm glad this guy puts in the work for us!

[@jas_bataille]

Tae-Kwon do might look "high risk" but let me tell you, it's very very efficient. Of course doing it at this level of acrobatics while being so efficient is ridiculous, but Tae-Kwon-Do saved my life, especially the drouble wrapping arm lock so your opponent can't move their arms (I mean, in the final position, you can't either but you can pinch nerves, headbutt, swipe legs, kick groin etc so it saved my life against a much bigger and stronger attacker). Tae-Kwon-Do is an art that was made for war. This is why there only are point-scoring competitions, because it's WAY too dangerous otherwise. People don't know that!

[@samxyx]

The guys with Taekwondo styles are the most fun to watch

[@VenturiLife]

That upwards elbow was insane.

[@Mozaec]

Hes like Tony , same mexican breed. Relentless and creative. Absolutely love it

[@K0BRAKID]

absolutely relentless, he rarely steps back and if he does is just to charge again. Absolute beast..

[@ayokunleakinnifesi3174]

Rodriguez is a badass warrior.

[@genzboomer-sv3pl]

describing his style as kickdancing was diabolical, this fighters the chefs kiss of the sport, showmanship, talent and masterfully devious.

[@currencytrader4389]

LOL! I wonder how many people will get your "2 body problem" comment. You slipped that right in there! Love it. Fighting Yaris looks like fighting a human buzzsaw. Shit! I think the future of fighting will feature highly skilled leg strikers. You get an extremely talented kicker with abnormally long legs and it seems to be they would be very hard to touch. Yaris throws those kicks so quick and well placed.

[@zubairanwar2357]

Amazing Documentaries, easily Binge watchable !!! Great Work !!!

[@brvdyy]

If he hasn’t worked on his defense, Volk is going to manhandle him

[@sebytro]

We have to appreciate more when contestants hug each other at the end of a round or a fight. I hope these games will become less dangeours to their heads in the next years.

[@petrobiker]

this is the thing my sensei once said to me: ''legs are your first line of attack and the first line of defence. if it falls, there's not much you can do with your hands".

[@Gunn27]

You can knock people out and get them in chokeholds 🤔

[@marcovanangeren]

Mad respect for him but also for the guy with the afro who receives a kick on the head and instantly laughs and hugs him when the bell rings 2 seconds later lol

[@ThatGuyC3P0]

Fighters often with this style of fighting are difficult to deal with for sure but often struggle with wrestlers and people who push forward constantly

[@barracuda7249]

Its really fun seeing him fight

[@jasonbourne6760]

When someone says taekwondo doesn't work, they usually mean it in a real situation where kicking is risky depending on the ground. If you lose your balance and fall, it's over. Taekwondo does work in mma and there are countless examples of that but one should also take note that just taekwondo isn't going to work and you have to pair up with other things to make a more effective fighting style.

[@Madheim777]

Remember that ITF and WT Taekwondo are kinda "different" in execution. ITF uses both kicks and hands since it's the traditional martial art, WT focus much more on kicks.

[@cmac6136]

That beating ge took from frankie edgar was brutal

[@AkinataMoon]

Like 6 years ago doesnt mather anymore today

[@fishguru73]

Best UFC recap channel period

[@birdperson2854]

Him and jiri would be awesome in another world

[@Noconabigbussy]

Bro there like 70 pounds apart

[@The_Gallowglass]

Watching him fight he seems like an honorable dude. He knows when to pull his punches and kicks. He's not out to cripple anyone or to showboat.

[@360.Tapestry]

dude's arsenal of high energy attacks makes him highly unpredictable and highly entertaining to watch - so what volk did to neutralize him is all the more impressive

[@kasperchristensen8416]

0:21 "A repertoire of moves straight out of Tekken" 😂👍

[@Madheim777]

The double kick with somersault to forward was straight out of Kazuya's techniques, "Demon Scissors" 😂😂

[@chaseadams347]

Joe Rogan says that Taekwondo is useless. He was wrong.

[@sergiobatista2272]

Joe Rogan isn't necessarily an intelligent individual (like most mma people).

[@mr.k8660]

He himself was a tkd competitor

[@richardcraig599]

Watched Yair Vs Korean Zombie live, best right I've ever seen

[@TotalBlank]

He certainly was an exciting fighter to watch leading up to his loss against Volkanovski. Taekwondo was nowhere to be found that night.

[@dytyzerpud]

The editing on this video is fire. Great work!

[@mokogintarist5744]

Too easy for Alex 🤜🏻👊🏻🤛🏻

[@bmxrider8188]

He literally fights like Tekken

[@twelvevoltage]

lol nice tekken reference first thing I thought of was Hwoarang the TKD master

[@grabir01]

TaeKwonDo is big on knees and elbows for up and close fighting. Even so. Its the fighter as much as it is the martial art.

[@Madheim777]

Sadly the WT variation overshadowed the traditional Taekwondo which is ITF

[@grabir01]

@@Madheim777 General Choi had a lot to do with that.

[@Madheim777]

@@grabir01 what do you mean?

[@KEW-pd1jn]

You guys make incredible videos! Thanks

[@mattdemo6387]

What I've noticed during his fights so far is that his head and eyes are always locked on to the targeted enemy From when he's standing up-right or to he's falling down to the octagons campus

[@blitzuser8074]

This is a textbook story of a style bender. Super unorthodox moves, but incredibly successful. It really highlights the fluidity of this sport

[@stevemcknelly5036]

Yair is breakin' necks and cashin' paychecks.

[@Lemaforthewin]

Yair masterfully wrecks and makes his opponents hit the decks

[@babykangaroo7772]

"Straight outta TEKKEN" hell yes one of my favorites 😍

[@jojen]

His knockout vs Korean Zombie at the last second is the equivalent of doing a 360 no scope winning kill while jumping outside the map at the last second. Incredible resourcefulness

[@pandafamily9879]

Dude has some crazy kicks. I like how he doesn't waste time waiting for another opening.

[@lilyplayz1766]

When you strongly believe in your style

[@Animalchemy18]

I love your vids man, and the music is on point!!

[@VinnyfromBrooklyn]

Volks gonna make a highlight out of him.

[@mumblety96]

1st time seeing one of your productions I think. Well done!

[@ccarniver]

His Taekwondo looks more like capoeira, really great for street fight one hit KOs; but inside the ring with a opponent who anticipates it, it usually drains more stamina than necessary

[@teovu5557]

Those do not look like capoeria kicks at all. They are typical WT style taekwondo jumping and spinning kicks....

[@aldnav]

This is standard TKD. His kick-and-punch combo from Poomsae. He mastered spinning kicks and axe kicks (the ones you see from TKD demonstrations) that worked well for his style.

[@cz2165]

He’s so graceful and fun to watch.

[@Metaljonus]

He's gonna get smashed by Volk. Great style tho!

[@Didisayhi]

Next level documentary!!! Please keep it up!!

[@KingKongHitDaBong]

really like yair but unfortunately volk is just a horrible stylistic matchup for him. i can see the match going the same way as it did with frankie edgar

[@tutuadefolalu3661]

This just goes to show, it really does come down to the competitor, not just the style they use. Sometimes you get that perfect combination of physical ability, style, and combat IQ that results in a fighter that's just ridiculous.

[@jorgeherrera1074]

When you have world class kicks like Yair, opponents want to stay away or rush in and get close. If they stay far you can slowly break them down with distance kicks. When they rush in they'll usually be reckless in order to avoid a kick. So You don't need much flair in your boxing, just having strong boxing fundamentals goes way further than for most fighters. That's what makes him so scary.

[@moomoochacoo]

He has restraint too, he holds back when he knows they are gonna get up. Classy as fuck.

[@vuxnut]

Massive fan of Rodriguez, very nice video. 🤘

[@metrofetus-]

1:32 The sickest superman punch I've ever seen

[@eshepley]

Where was this guy vs. Volkanovski?

[@Sephiroth-1]

Yair is one of the most unique fun fighters to watch in the UFC 🔥🔥

[@PeterKertesz2013]

Brilliant video as always!

[@niamhythedegen]

That form is IMMACULATE

[@healthyman5826]

This was a masterpiece. You sir are very good at your craft. Good day

[@adrianayub872]

All around amazing content 🔥

[@PeterParker-gt3xl]

A great all-around fighter with combined TKD, wrestling and Thai boxing

[@JellyFix]

Great video!!!!!

[@TheJapanChannelDcom]

What "works" is popular on KZbin. But it really depends on the fighters' skills and abilities.

[@AllenhopeCabuangAllenski]

And Haters says TKD is useless in UFC. Not knowing 90% of Yair's kicks used in UFC are TAEKWONDO KICK. 😂

[@markumoeder]

To see the Tekken move list with characters combo/attack video implemented in a comparison video of ufc artist's would be cool.

[@niscent_]

i love how he hugs his opponents the very second the referee calls the end.

[@MALC188]

Great Content Man!

[@mikayla_collie]

damn, those upward elbows were brutal!! O_O very nice!!! :3