UFC fighter recounts eight months in Mexican prison after marijuana arrest

UFC fighter Daniel Rodriguez described his eight-month ordeal in a Mexican prison as a "death train." He was arrested in July 2025 in Tijuana after a traffic stop revealed 27 grams of marijuana in his car. Although this amount is legal in his home state of California and decriminalized in Mexico, Rodriguez was charged with drug trafficking.

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There was only the question of my freedom. I wasn't sure if I would ever get out and continue with my life. They were trying to give me a serious prison sentence for a little weed. This whole journey was like a death train.

His initial days were spent in a squalid, overcrowded cell with about twenty other inmates, where he contended with bedbugs and barely edible food. He had limited access to the outside, with only two opportunities per week to go to the yard. Rodriguez's status as a UFC fighter, however, brought him unexpected attention.

After a guard recognized him and requested a photo, Rodriguez claimed he was able to bribe guards to move to a "VIP section." There, he shared a cell with a cartel leader who reportedly "ran the whole prison." This cell was equipped with a television and a PlayStation, offering significantly better conditions and protection.

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My cellmate ran the whole prison. I was in the VIP section.

Despite the improved circumstances, Rodriguez remained focused on his physical and mental conditioning. He set up a makeshift punching bag in his cell, used hallway focus mitts, and performed roadwork in the yard. "Eight months in a cage in Tijuana never killed my spirit," he stated, emphasizing his determination to return to fighting.

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Eight months in a cage in Tijuana never killed my spirit.