Eight months is a long time to disappear from the public eye in a sport that moves as fast as the UFC. That’s the situation Daniel Rodriguez found himself in after beating Kevin Holland at UFC 318. He had just secured his third straight victory and a run that could’ve positioned him for bigger fights at welterweight.
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Instead, two weeks later, his career stalled completely, and fans were left wondering what happened, since he practically disappeared. Speaking to Ariel Helwani recently, Rodriguez laid it out step by step as he revealed how a decision to go on a vacation to Mexico ended up stalling his career and putting him in a difficult spot with the law.
“Man, pretty sure you all remember my last fight versus Kevin Holland,” Rodriguez said, setting the timeline. “You know, it was an amazing matchup, and you know, went on vacation to, to cross the border, across the border of Mexico, and you know, forgot I had a little bag of w–d with me, man. It was under an ounce and got pulled over at the line.”
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“Got checked, man, the border patrol were tripping on the w–d and, I was thinking I was only going to be in there like probably the weekend, maybe a little bit shorter, but the man, the laws over there out there in Mexico, they’re way different, man. They don’t play no games, you know? So, what I was thinking would turn into what was going to be, probably a little weekend or maybe overnight, turning into eight months, man, right now.”
Daniel Rodriguez provides an update on his arrest in Mexico and the time he spent behind bars:
“I crossed the border into Mexico and forgot I had a little bag of weed with me, man. It was under an ounce, and I got pulled over at the line and checked.
The border patrol were… pic.twitter.com/E5zuIRY3Dx
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 13, 2026
The UFC star continued his explanation and claimed he was still in celebration mode, admitting he didn’t think things through and made a mistake by carrying mar**ana into Mexico. He also shared that his car was stopped due to missing front license plate tags, which led to the search.
Daniel Rodriguez also warned others to be cautious at the border, suggesting tensions were high at the time and that authorities may have been stricter with Americans. He tried to keep a low profile but couldn’t avoid the situation. When Helwani asked if the authorities recognized him during the arrest, Rodriguez confessed that it wasn’t the case.
“Nah, they had no idea. Usually, there’s opportunities to get yourself out of certain situations over there Mexico,” he added. “I was hoping for that. I had a wallet full of cash with me at the time and tried to see if I could catch a break. I tried to see if they could help me out because it wasn’t the police. It was actually the border patrol, the National Guard. They don’t play no games. And I didn’t realize that… you know, that they take it so seriously and potentially they hit me with a smuggling charge.”
‘D-Rod’ admitted he even considered throwing it away before crossing the border, but chose not to, a decision he now regrets. He also revealed he wasn’t alone at the time, and the person with him ended up serving time as well, though both were eventually released together.
Rodriguez didn’t go into detail about how he secured his release, crediting his legal team for handling it. But he made it clear he wants to get back into action as soon as possible. However, Kevin Holland recently claimed that he might have intervened in the situation to get his rematch with ‘D-Rod’!
Kevin Holland takes credit for Daniel Rodriguez’s return as he eyes a rematch
For months, Rodriguez’s absence from the MMA sphere created more questions than answers. But now, Kevin Holland has added his voice to the saga, and instead of just calling for a rematch with Daniel Rodriguez, he’s now claiming he played a role in getting him back on track outside the cage.
“I bailed him out, man,” ‘Trailblazer’ shared in an interview with Full Send MMA. “I needed to get this dub right here and then I needed to fight ‘D-Rod’ so I had to bail him out. He can get through this probation period and then when it’s time for me to fight again, he’ll be ready …”
It’s a bold claim, and more importantly, one that hasn’t been confirmed from Rodriguez’s side, but it shows just how badly Holland wants that second fight. From a competitive standpoint, his push for a rematch isn’t surprising. Holland recently returned at UFC 327 and picked up a unanimous decision win over Randy Brown, putting himself back in a position to call shots. And he’s been clear about what he wants next.
“I went back and watched that fight, I don’t know how the f—k I lost, “he continued. “Run that back two or three more times. It was a fun fight too, the fans had a blast. We had blood in the Octagon, we had knockdowns, all the good stuff.“
This story is about timing, momentum, and how quickly things can flip in a fighter’s career. Daniel Rodriguez went from a three-fight win streak and real traction at welterweight to eight months on the sidelines, all because of a split-second decision he now openly regrets.
At the same time, the story doesn’t close with his release; it actually gets more interesting. Kevin Holland has stepped back into the picture, pushing for a rematch and even claiming he played a role in Rodriguez’s return. Whether that part is true or not, the intent is clear. He wants that fight back, and he’s not letting it go.
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Edited by
Yeswanth Praveen