Yair Rodriguez out of Noche UFC 4 main event vs Jean Silva
Yair Rodriguez has pulled out of the Noche UFC 4 main event against Jean Silva on September 12, 2026, for undisclosed reasons. Jean Silva will now face Jose Delgado in the new headliner at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, with less than one month until fight night.
The withdrawal strips Noche UFC 4 of its planned Mexican headliner just weeks before the UFC's fourth annual Noche UFC celebration. Multiple sources confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday, following an initial report from AG Fight.
Key Takeaways
- Yair Rodriguez withdrew from the Sept. 12 Noche UFC 4 main event for undisclosed reasons.
- Jean Silva will fight Jose Delgado in the replacement headliner in Glendale, Arizona.
- Rodriguez has not competed since beating Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314 in April 2025.
- Delgado steps up on short notice for his first UFC main event in his home state.
- The card loses its Mexican star but keeps Silva in the marquee slot.
Why Did Yair Rodriguez Pull Out of Noche UFC 4?
Rodriguez (20-5, one no contest) was scheduled to headline Noche UFC 4 against Jean Silva at featherweight. He pulled out for undisclosed reasons, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation who spoke to MMA Fighting.
The former interim featherweight champion has not fought since April 2025, when he beat Patricio Pitbull via decision at UFC 314. That win ended a two-fight losing skid against Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega and marked his first appearance in more than a year.
According to Heavy.com, Rodriguez was set to make his Noche UFC debut on the Sept. 12 card. He had been interested in moving up a division but accepted the featherweight bout against Silva. When he might return to the Octagon remains unknown.
Who Will Jean Silva Fight Instead?
Silva (17-3) will face Jose Delgado (12-2) in the main event. Delgado gets his first main event assignment on less than a month's notice and will compete in his native Arizona.
Delgado enters on a strong run, with wins over Andre Fili and Austin Bashi earlier this year that earned him a spot on the new Meta UFC rankings. He is 4-1 in the UFC, with his lone loss coming to Nathaniel Wood in 2025.
Silva, nicknamed "Lord," holds a 6-1 UFC record with four performance bonuses. He rebounded from a title eliminator loss to Diego Lopes with a decision win over Arnold Allen in January. Silva was booked for his second consecutive Noche UFC event after headlining last year's card against Lopes.
What Does This Mean for Noche UFC 4?
Noche UFC 4 takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Rodriguez's exit removes a major Mexican draw from the card, but the UFC moved quickly to keep Silva in the headliner slot rather than reshuffling the entire event.
The rest of the main card remains stacked. Brandon Moreno faces Joseph Morales, Manon Fiorot meets Alexa Grasso, and Waldo Cortes Acosta battles Curtis Blaydes, according to Heavy.com's updated card listing.
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