Unbeaten Rodriguez targets Joshua Van after UFC 332 flyweight clash with Coria

Imanol Rodriguez is already looking past Saturday’s fight. The unbeaten flyweight (7-0) meets Alden Coria (13-3) on the UFC 332 prelims at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on October 3, but Rodriguez has made clear that a victory would be just the first step in a two-fight plan he has mapped out for the remainder of 2026.

Rodriguez, a Dana White’s Contender Series graduate who is 1-0 inside the Octagon, wants to break into the flyweight Top 15 by the end of the year. His immediate goal is a “clean” finish against Coria that would allow him to turn around quickly and return to the Octagon in December against a ranked opponent.

“I have a plan for this year and that’s to fight again in December,” Rodriguez said in a pre-fight interview. “So, this is a win that needs to be clean. And I want to call out some people on the rankings and see somebody up in the rankings that I can fight.”

Beyond a December return, Rodriguez has a specific name in mind: ranked flyweight Joshua Van, who is expected to be in Coria’s corner on fight night. Rodriguez made no secret of his intentions, framing the Coria bout as a stepping stone toward a future meeting with Van.

“I think Joshua Van will be in the corner of Alden Coria, so I think he’s going to see that if we cross paths, he’s going to have a tough fighter ahead of him, a tough challenge,” Rodriguez said. “First, I’ll go for his friend and then I’ll go for him.”

The confidence is backed by a spotless finishing record. Rodriguez has stopped all seven of his professional opponents — six by knockout and one by submission — and has yet to see a final bell as a professional. Coria, meanwhile, arrives in strong form of his own, sitting 3-0 in the UFC and riding a seven-fight unbeaten streak.

Rodriguez acknowledged the challenge Coria presents but showed little hesitation about where he sees the fight going. “I do believe he is just a step I have to take,” he said.