Let’s not drink the Kool-Aid just yet.

So Yair Rodriguez defeated Alex Caceres this past weekend at UFC Fight Night 92, meaning he’s the best Featherweight on the planet right? Well, contrary to popular belief, just because you acquit yourself well, beat a talented yet middling fighter, and have some cool techniques doesn’t mean you should included in the conversation of elite level fighter. Make no mistake, Yair Rodriguez is a dangerous and talented prospect. Yet his performance last Saturday has proven a number of things about the young Featherweight. Namely: he isn’t ready for the upper echelon. As a fight promoter there’s a lot to like about Yair Rodriguez. As a Mexican born, bilingual attraction, Rodriguez has the potential to open up the Latino market for the UFC. His style is fan friendly and he does clearly have a ton of skill. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, one need only take a step back and examine the situation to realize the 23 year old has a lot of growing to do. The fight this past Saturday saw two young men square off in an entertaining scrap that could have in fact gone either way. Alex Caceres didn’t just roll over and play dead and in fact had some shining moments during the fight. He scored some solid ground and pound in the third frame and was extremely competitive in the fourth and fifth rounds. It was perhaps Rodriguez’s work rate that managed to give Caceres the most problems, but what the Mexican fighter had in volume he surely lacks in tactical precision. Yair Rodriguez has some great kicking techniques, particularly the low line side kick that he used to disrupt Caceres’ movement. His boxing however is extremely sloppy. He also lacks patience to set up some of his more devastating strikes meaning he’s likely to leave himself open for counters. Rodriguez may be entertaining, but that doesn’t mean he can fight on the same level as Conor McGregor, Jose Aldo, or Frankie Edgar. Rodriguez still must be challenged before he can be considered a bonafide Featherweight threat. A match against Doo Ho Choi may be just what the doctor ordered for the two young talents and could prove who deserves to move up in the rankings at Featherweight. Let us know by hitting up our comments below or head on over to our official Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.