One of the biggest marquee bouts on the UFC schedule is no longer.
Yair Rodriguez is out of Noche UFC vs. Jean Silva. In steps first-time UFC headliner and Arizona native Jose Delgado. The five-round featherweight clash will serve as the new headliner for the Sept. 12 event at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. MMA Junkie learned of the new matchup from a source familiar with the booking, and Silva and Delgado confirmed it on social media.
It’s unclear why Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) withdrew from the bout. The contest would’ve marked his first competition since April 2025 and only his second fight since February 2024. It’s been three years since Rodriguez has competed twice in the same calendar year, but he’s remained atop the division, consistently contending against the featherweight division’s other top talent.
Delgado (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) trains out of the MMA Lab in Glendale and is coming off back-to-back wins over Andre Fili and Austin Bashi. He told MMA Junkie after the Bashi fight that he’d love to fight his home area, but wasn’t sure if he’d need a little more rest time. One way or another, Delgado now steps into a massive opportunity against one of the division’s top dogs.
Silva (17-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) was slated to headline back-to-back Noche UFC events, having served as one-half of the main event vs. Diego Lopes in 2025. Though he lost that bout by second-round TKO, Silva bounced back in January when he defeated Arnold Allen by unanimous decision.
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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Yair Rodriguez out of Noche UFC; new main event booked
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