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Naoya Inoue delivers honest verdict on Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s boxing ability

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Naoya Inoue has assessed whether the power and skillset of Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez would make for a worthy challenge at 122lbs.

The two lower-division stars have expressed no shortage of interest in fighting one another, almost to the point that their mouth-watering showdown seems inevitable.

Or at least, according to coach Robert Garcia, a clash with Inoue can certainly happen so long as Rodriguez is given the chance to enter one more outing at 118lbs.

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The American made his bantamweight debut in June, dethroning Antonio Vargas with a sixth-round finish to claim the WBA title and become a three-division world champion.

But while it was, for the most part, a mightily impressive performance, many made the observation that Bam seemed slightly undersized at the new weight.

Inoue, too, has told Ring Magazine that he noticed such physical disadvantages against Vargas, but nonetheless believes that Rodriguez’s eye for a knockout, rather than the power itself, is what makes him a worthy challenger to his undisputed super-bantamweight crown.

“I did get the impression that, physically, things weren’t quite the same for him as they had been before. But he still managed to finish the fight with a knockout.

“His strength isn’t really about physical power. He has the ability to punch through you with pinpoint accuracy. For example, even if I were fighting at super-featherweight or lightweight, I think I’d still be able to hurt an opponent with a punch they didn’t see coming. I think it’s the same with Bam.

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“If he had tried to rely on physical strength in that fight, I don’t think he would have produced that kind of knockout. I saw that ability in him to land punches from blind spots and take advantage of openings.”

Having not fought since his unanimous decision victory over Junto Nakatani in May, Inoue plans to return early next year, either to defend his belts against Bam or move up to featherweight.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, is likely to enter a unification match with WBO champion Christian Medina later this year, before hopefully facing the Japanese ‘Monster’ in 2027.

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No. 19 SMU turns the ball over four times, but still escapes with 27-24 win over Florida State

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SMU did everything it could to give Florida State a chance to win Monday night. Instead, the Mustangs got out of Tallahassee with a 27-24 win after a 20-yard field goal from Nick Reed with 21 seconds to go.

Once the game finally started after a 100-minute delay because of a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium, it was clear that SMU was the better team.

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Yet the Mustangs were also the team that kept making more mistakes. SMU turned the ball over four times, missed a field goal and committed a penalty on an FSU field goal attempt that led to a game-tying touchdown in the third quarter. It was an incredibly sloppy effort from SMU, yet Florida State could not capitalize.

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The Mustangs’ fourth turnover came with 6:33 to go and the game tied at 24-24. Safety Ashlynd Barker read QB Kevin Jennings’ eyes for an interception and gave Florida State a chance to take its first lead of the night.

Instead, the Seminoles’ offense lost seven yards on three plays after Ashton Daniels was sacked on third down. That down was FSU’s nemesis all night. Florida State punted the ball back to SMU, and the Mustangs got into position for an easy field goal thanks to a 29-yard completion to Dramekco Green on third down with less than three minutes to go.

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Stepping in the cage is a privilege

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Michael ‘Venom’ Page posted an inspirational message after his win over Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris.

The British star won via unanimous decision, and it was the last fight of his current UFC deal. Reports later confirmed that Page had been removed from the UFC rankings, suggesting that the promotion was not going to offer him a new deal.

The former Bellator star thanked his fans for the support and added that bigger things were on the way for him:

“Thank you Paris for having me. I’m grateful for the support you gave me. Stepping in the cage is a privilege I do not take for granted and I look forward to bigger challenges.”

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Check out Michael Page’s comments on his UFC Paris win below:

Page was one of the hottest signings the UFC had made from Bellator, but his performances in the octagon weren’t all that impressive.

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He won five of his six UFC fights, but didn’t have a single finish in those wins. The British star’s only loss came at the hands of Ian Machado Garry, with that fight also going the distance.

Page currently holds a 26-3 record in his MMA career, and the UFC hasn’t shared an official statement regarding his release.


Michael Page willing to change style after Paris win

While speaking backstage to the UFC after his win in Paris, Michael ‘Venom’ Page was keen on working on his game to become more exciting.

“The results show that I haven’t done enough. Probably, I need to push myself a little more, take a few more risks.”

The former Bellator star added that he believed there was more to give in the octagon, and that was frustrating for him. However, he believed he could beat everyone, but finishing opponents might not be for him:

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“There’s not one person in the world that can stand with me. But there’s too many people that can survive with me. That’s the problem. That’s what I need to change.”

The 39-year-old added that he needed to work on his output and take more risks, and was keen on discussing his future with the UFC too:

“I gotta sit down with the UFC and have an honest conversation, and say I know I can do better, I’m aspiring to do better.”