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Jeremy Stephens had no ill-will towards Yair Rodriguez after their fight had ended unopposed after an inadvertent look Saturday night. But his opinion changes quickly.
The main event in Mexico City ended just 15 seconds after the fight after Rodriguez reached out to Stephens during an exchange and that he accidentally passed his fingers over the eyes.
Stephens could not open his eyes after the strike, which led referee Herb Dean to stop the fight. According to Stephens, it was only when he went to the hospital later that night that he was finally able to open his eyes for the first time. Fortunately, no permanent damage has been caused.
"Everything is fine," Stephens said by addressing MMA Fighting on Monday. "I'll go to the doctor later today to clarify this issue and get an opinion on American soil, and everything is fine. It's a little painful. I have a laceration, a small cut on my two eyes, but overall nothing major, which is good.
"It's one of those weird little things. I had my eye socket shattered in Donald Cerrone's fight, and this guy is a killer. Far more fierce than the karate child (Yair Rodriguez), and it's one of those strange things, I can not explain it. I have participated in 50 fights, amateurs and professionals, and this is one of those strange things. It just sucks. "
Two days later, Stephens said he had no seizures of falling eyes, but he postponed his birthday celebration with his wife to return home so that doctors could consult him.
"Nothing fuzzy [now]Said Stephens. "A little pain, it's a bit sensitive to light, but other than that, my vision is fine."
On Sunday, while he was preparing his return trip from Mexico, Stephens met Rodriguez at the host hotel. He thought that he was going to receive an apology from his opponent and hoped that they could proceed with the reservation of the revenge.
What happened next surprised Stephens, but he was quick to react.
"At first he raised his thumb, I thought he was going to come and be cordial and say," I'm sorry, and let's go back to the task, "said Stephens," but he goes up, shakes my hand. and from where I'm coming, you do not do that, man, I pushed him through the hotel and I saw that his sister was recording with her phone, thinking she was going to have a glimpse, or to speak to me.
"He was jostled and once, he did not even take a step forward. His family did not do it either. I was about to hit him, as well as his coaches and all who came to meet me, but they all immediately backed down.
Even though he already had the feeling that there was an unfinished business with Rodriguez, given the anticlimactic manner in which their fight had ended, Stephens was all the more motivated after the Physical altercation of the next day.
"Let it go back," said Stephens. "That's what I told him. Bring it. I'm fit, you're in shape, we both have spent money, we've both lost money, now it's a check raise. Now, more looks are turned towards the series. Come on a tour of American soil and see how they treat you here. Bring it on. "
While Stephens would appreciate the opportunity to face Rodriguez on one of the remaining cards in 2019 – preferably the next show in Boston, UFC 244 in New York or the UFC card on ESPN in Washington DC – he does not know not if the return match will take place.
"I guarantee you that the kid does not want it," said Stephens about Rodriguez. "I bet he does not accept the fight, he goes on and runs. That's what he does. You saw how he acted after the victory. He celebrates as if he had won a glance. Who do this? The kid was nervous all week. I was in his head, I'm still in his head, and he can accept the fight or get rid of the f-k from my path.
"These are facts. I have never been excluded from the UFC for not having fought. I fought [against Zabit Magomedsharipov] when he would not take it. Who is the bitch and who is talking about real facts here? I pushed the kid and he did not do it.
If Rodriguez does not agree, Stephens will not wait for him because he wants to fight again before the end of the year, regardless of his opponent.
"People are hiding and dodging all the time," said Stephens. "Brian Ortega m dodged four or five times. These guys do not want to beat me. They must fight me.
"It's either Yair or I have nothing to do and we move on. Either we fight or close the f-k, and I keep going. "
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