Sandoval entered undefeated at 17 0 and was positioned as the favorite moving forward. Rodriguez, now 24 2, was treated as the experienced but secondary option. The fight didn’t follow that script.
Rodriguez boxed with patience and discipline. He allowed Sandoval to lead, spent time on the ropes by choice, and made Sandoval pay for rushing exchanges without a defensive reset. The counters were clean and consistent, especially when Sandoval was right. Rodriguez mixed head shots with hard body work, especially in the third round, and steadily commanded the tempo.
Sandoval stayed busy and showed toughness throughout. He absorbed clean shots without wilting and had moments where his volume narrowed rounds. But the move up from super lightweight showed. His punches had less effect, and his pressure came without the defensive awareness needed to avoid Rodriguez’s counters. When Sandoval pressed, Rodriguez responded. When Sandoval stopped, Rodriguez banked rounds.
The fight had momentum swings and quiet stretches. Round five slowed down as Rodriguez held on at times while Sandoval looked for openings. Even then, the pattern did not change. Rodriguez was sharper. He was cleaner. He made fewer mistakes.
The performance later drew praise from Dana White and quickly circulated online via highlight clips focused on Rodriguez’s counterwork and composure.
For Zuffa Boxing it was a useful start. The card opener featured a real fight, a real upset and a result that was earned rather than staged. Rodriguez didn’t steal the fight. He took it, round by round, and cut the favorite look one step short.
