Beating a legend

What's next for El Pantera?

A confusing picture at the top of the featherweight division

Sending a clear message to Conor McGregor

Yair Rodriguez got 2017 off to an incredible start when he took apart BJ Penn in Phoenix, Arizona, but "El Pantera" already has bigger things on his mind.Rodriguez is in Houston, Texas, this weekend, taking in the atmosphere ahead of Super Bowl LI on Sunday evening when the New England Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons. The Mexican is there to let his hair down this week, but as one of the hottest young talents in the UFC today, he's had no shortage of media chasing him down.Speaking to NESN on Radio Row , Rodriguez discussed his win over Penn last month, explaining the thrill of sharing the Octagon with the former double-weight world champion."First of all, it was amazing for me fighting against a legend, BJ Penn," Rodriguez said. "It was a shock for me at the beginning because BJ Penn is a guy that I watched growing up, earlier in my career whenever I was a kid, I used to watch him.[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPczdz1AGPk/" hide_caption="0"]"I used to think, 'Damn, this guy is good.' I used to watch him in these highlight videos, jumping out of planes, jumping out of pools, I'm sorry, and doing all his strength and conditioning. All his fighting game was pretty impressive and whenever they came and told me they wanted me to fight BJ Penn it was like a shock to me--I used to watch him on TV and now I'm going to fight him. I was pretty excited."I just went there, trained hard and performed as always."Having beaten Penn convincingly and gotten away from the battle with hardly a scratch, Rodriguez said he is already looking forward to his next opponent. Despite having taken out a big name in his last fight, the 24-year-old was in no mood to request a particular next opponent and said he'd let new matchmaker Mick Maynard do his job."I'm just going to wait until the UFC tell me who is next," Rodriguez said. "Whenever they want me to fight I'll be ready, and whoever they want me to fight I don't care, you know? At this time any competition is going to be tough. I don't care, I know I'm there for a title shot if I win my next fight, so I don't really care who is next--I'll be ready for it."It makes sense [I fight] a top-five guy, but he can be whoever. I already have six fights in the UFC, and I've [won them all] straight. It doesn't matter--if I win my next fight I will be a victim of my own success in the UFC, so it doesn't make any sense for me to fight another guy that is not in the rank. So I may as well fight against a top-five guy who's going to put me right there for a title shot and just try to achieve that."With the UFC featherweight title now held by Jose Aldo and the interim championship by Max Holloway, Rodriguez spoke about the state of the 145-pound division. Suffice to say, like many fans these days, the title situation appeared to be unclear for him, and he was seemingly confused by who held what belt and what role Conor McGregor played the division these days.[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPVTGoHgjHN/" hide_caption="0"]"I think it's pretty smart [McGregor's tactics], you know?" Rodriguez said. "I read in an interview where [McGregor] said he doesn't mind to go back to 145. So, he [said] before, it's not something that I'm making up, he said it, '[Aldo's] not really a champion in the 145-pound division in the UFC because I [McGregor] have the belt, [I've won] against one of those that has the belt, which is Max Holloway, and I already won against Jose Aldo, who is the No. 1 contender for a title shot. So he's not really a champion.'"While a little confused about who the actual champion of the featherweight division is, Rodriguez needed no time to think about what would happen if McGregor did come back to 145. The Mexican sent a clear warning--return and I'll make you pay for it."He's not really champion if he decides to go back to 145," Rodriguez said. "But, guess what's going to happen if he does try to go down to 145? He's going to be in my way. If I become a champion before he tries to go to 145, he never [won] against me, he never fought against me, so eventually a fight like that is going to have to happen."While the two haven't crossed paths yet, Rodriguez was happy to talk about how the fight would go down."I think it will be crazy and I think fans will love it," he said. "I don't want to bring McGregor up because then people are going to think, 'Oh, now he's trying to use McGregor, you know?' but no, I don't want McGregor's success. He's got his own stuff and he's been smart enough to build his own empire and I don't want that. I want my own stuff. I don't really care about him or whatever he wants to do with his own life. If he wants to go and fight in boxing, I don't really care."I care about my career and if he's in front of me, I don't care--I will go and kick his ass. I'm just being honest, I prepare myself. I'm a winner and people don't remember losers. People remember winners, and I'm a winner. I've been one all my life."Watch Rodriguez's full interview with Michaela Vernava here: