Over the last few days, this is the second time we’re hearing of a UFC star having a run-in with the cartel. First, it was Colby Covington talking about the cartel heat he faced in Brazil after his incendiary comments there. He had a bounty on his head and needed secret service protection to be escorted out of the country. Now, it’s the flipside, where a UFC star was in the good graces of the cartel, who ensured a comfortable stay in prison!

We’re talking about welterweight UFC star Daniel Rodriguez here. After beating Kevin Holland at UFC 318 last year, the Californian suddenly vanished from the public eye, and nobody knew why. Until this year, when it finally came to light that ‘D-Rod’ spent 8 months locked up in a prison in Mexico. Later, he revealed the reason on the Ariel Helwani show, saying the authorities caught him carrying marijuana while he was traveling to Mexico for a vacation. While living in a cell isn’t a very pleasant experience, Rodriguez revealed nobody dared to mess with him because cartel members protected him. 

“I’ve been in jail before. It’s not my first rodeo, but this was a whole different monster, ‘D-Rod’ told TMZ Sports, “Surrounded by the lowest of the low. You can imagine jail, then you can imagine jail in Mexico. Fortunately for me, word kind of got around who I was, and I had people in high places take care of me and stuff. I guess you can say, for the most part, I was put in probably the best living situation. 

“I did get a lot of love in there, but it is jail, and it is Mexico. It was a crazy experience. Luckily, nothing happened. I was in the right crowd of people where nobody f***ed with me, nobody messed with me and I didn’t have to beat anybody’s a** or nothing like that.”

For those wondering, Daniel Rodriguez grew up in California, where he joined a local gang in his teens. But it wasn’t just him, the UFC star’s parents were also somehow connected to Latin gangs in Alhambra. Though he didn’t mention it directly, the cartel members likely protected him because of his prior ties. Also, this isn’t the first time ‘D-Rod’ has been to prison. In an Ariel Helwani interview, he revealed that he found out about winning a UFC contract while he was facing jail time due to a DUI offense.

Now, as Daniel Rodriguez has finally opened up about his relatively safe prison experience, he has also shed some light on what’s next for his UFC comeback. And by the looks of it, the Californian’s return plans could upset another UFC fighter. 

Daniel Rodriguez snubs Kevin Holland of a rematch, eyes an ex-UFC champ  

‘D-Rod’s arrest saga picked up steam after Kevin Holland opened up about bailing his former adversary out of prison in a FullSend interview, paying the amount from his own pocket. ‘Trailblazer’ revealed he did this generous act only to secure a rematch after UFC 318, which Rodriguez won via unanimous decision.

After Holland’s gesture, fans thought he would get the rematch no matter what. But the Californian fighter might have snubbed him from that opportunity, as he now eyes former welterweight champ Leon Edwards at International Fight Week.

“I got an amazing offer,” Rodriguez revealed in the same interview. “You guys will probably be seeing me in there with Leon Edwards, International Fight Week, sometime around July. I’ve been thinking about it. Made the decision right now. I’m accepting the offer for Leon Edwards, International Fight Week. Let’s go!”

Kevin Holland might be heartbroken right now, as his bail money for Rodriguez could go to waste. But from a matchmaking perspective, Daniel Rodriguez, who’s on a three-fight winning streak, getting a chance to face a big name like Leon Edwards makes total sense. With that move, it allows the Californian to climb the ranks, while simultaneously giving ‘Rocky’ a chance to break his three-fight losing skid.

That said, what do you think about Daniel Rodriguez being protected by cartel members and his UFC return plans?