Cormier's protégé Rodriguez stuns flyweight division with first-round body kick KO at UFC 332

Imanol Rodriguez made an immediate statement in the UFC flyweight division, stopping Alden Coria with a brutal body kick at 3:11 of the first round at UFC 332 on Saturday to go 1-0 in the octagon.

The finish was as clean as it was decisive. Rodriguez, trained and championed by UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, controlled the fight from the opening seconds with blistering hand speed and sharp accuracy before driving a kick straight up the middle of Coria’s torso. The moment his toes connected, Coria doubled over and crumpled to the canvas, leaving the referee no choice but to wave it off.

Rodriguez had caught Cormier’s eye during their time together on The Ultimate Fighter, impressing the former two-division champion enough that Cormier assembled a dedicated team around him to accelerate his development. Saturday’s performance was a clear sign that investment is paying dividends.

“This has been a long time coming,” Rodriguez said in his post-fight interview. “If somebody wants it, I’m going to want it more. Daniel Cormier, you are the best person in the world — thank you for the support.”

After wrapping up the interview, Rodriguez leapt straight into Cormier’s arms as the Hall of Famer waited outside the octagon, a moment that underlined just how much the partnership means to both men.

With his UFC debut now firmly in the win column, Rodriguez has placed himself squarely on the radar of the flyweight division — and given Cormier’s eye for talent, it is unlikely to be the last time the MMA world takes notice.