Comments Thread For: ?Bam? Rodriguez has Fernando Martinez unification in play with win on July 19

[BlackRobb]

Edwards got the fight beaten out of him by Bam. He wasn't the same after that.

And Francisco Rodriguez is not a journeyman, he's a former unified champion and one of Nakatani's best wins.

A pro for 15 years with 6 losses at the highest level. Nakatani crushed him.

[famicommander]

A pro for 15 years with 6 losses at the highest level. Nakatani crushed him.

1. Rodriguez got absolutely robbed against Kazuto Ioka
2. Rodriguez has several wins over world title winners too (Sabillo, Takayama, Hirales, Marquez, Novoa)
3. At the lower weights most of the top tier fighters have multiple losses because the best actually fight each other.

Look at Nakatani's best wins and their records at the time he fought them
Masamichi Yabuki: 3-0-0
Seigo Yuri Akui: 11-0-1
Melan Melindo: 37-4-0
Angel Acosta: 22-2-0
Francisco Rodriguez Jr.: 36-5-1
Alexandro Santiago: 28-3-5
Ryosuke Nishida: 11-0-0

As I said, Francisco Rodriguez is one of Nakatani's best wins. Yabuki and Akui were both prospects when Nakatani fought them; Melindo and Santiago had worse resumes than Rodriguez; Acosta is 2-2 since the Nakatani loss.

Nishida was definitely Nakatani's best win, but after that it's probably Rodriguez himself.

And let's look at some of the recent greats of the lower weight divisions and their records
Donnie Nietes: 44-3-6
Nonito Donaire: 43-8-1
Chocolatito: 52-4-0
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai: 47-7-1
Kazuto Ioka: 31-4-1

The good fighters in the lower weight divisions actually fight each other. Consequently, many of them take losses and draws. That's what makes a guy like Inoue or Bam or Nakatani special to begin with.