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Last week, Nick Rodriguez followed up on his $1 million tournament win at Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), scoring another impressive submission victory in UFC Fight Pass Invitational 8’s (UFC FPI 8) main event (highlights here).
Dana White was also in attendance as Rodriguez extended his record for most wins in UFC FPI history, but would he ever consider crossing over from UFC’s grappling venture to the actual mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion?
Nicky Rod’s wrestling and top pressure game does seem immediately transferrable to MMA, but unfortunately for fight fans, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) star and “Black Belt Slayer” claims he’s more than happy to stay in his lane.
“I’m a millionaire with no CTE — I think I’m good,” Rodriguez said during UFC FPI 8’s post-fight press conference (watch it here). “Those guys are a different breed. I understand my capabilities in jiu-jitsu and I understand what it would take to become the UFC champion. For me it would probably take five years committing to striking and then that takes away from some of the jiu-jitsu.
“I don’t know if I would love fighting, but I know I absolutely love jiu-jitsu, so that’s what I do,” Rodriguez added. “I wake up everyday with a goal in mind when it comes to training. There’s no need for me to take a different path. I’m making great money, and that money continues to multiply as I make better decisions.”
An athletic 28-year-old, with good wrestling and elite grappling could conceivably do well in MMA, especially at heavyweight. Although Nicky Rod does have a point that it doesn’t seem to be the best idea to make the switch now.
The professional grappling scene has been rapidly growing, and he’s among the few top BJJ stars — like his rival Gordon Ryan — who can make really good money not just by competing but also selling instructional videos.
It’s hard to fault anyone who could make a living without adding serious health risks, especially since many MMA champions have recently come out with stories about CTE symptoms and their desperate need for the UFC lawsuit settlement money.
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