Kazuto Ioka vs. José Francisco Rodríguez Tamayo & Yuichiro Kasuya vs. Aso Ishiwaki RBR

Good chance of it, IMHO it's been several years since Rodríguez was world class. I thought he was washed when he got that gift draw versus Fajardo.

...and honestly I'm confused, looking at his record, what ever made people think he was "back" or still relevant since then. Losses to Nietes and Fuentes, and then victories over a whole big pile of mediocrity.

 

Round 1

Rodríguez is coming out aggressive, hooking into the right flank of Ioka, backing him into the ropes and then clipping him with another on the chin. Ioka circling left and countering with jabs and 1-2-3s. Rodríguez falls in with a heavy axing right, missing, but scores with a follow-up left hook downstairs after planting his lead foot to anchor before swiveling around the way he came.

10-9 Rodríguez, close

 

Awesome pre-2014. Fairly pedestrian since. In fact downright awful for a guy that is still mentioned among the best at super fly. Granted the division has always been top-loaded with talent and never all that deep to where you can build an impressive record in both quantity and quality, but still. His lately is junk.