Rongzhu defeated Rafa Garcia by unanimous decision (29-28 across all three scorecards), earning his fourth consecutive victory. After outstriking Garcia in a hard-fought bout, Rongzhu called for a top-15 opponent. Garcia suffered his first loss in two years, snapping a three-fight winning streak.
Rongzhu picked up the biggest win of his recent run on September 12, defeating Rafa Garcia by unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28.
The victory extended Rongzhu's winning streak to four fights. He controlled enough of the striking exchanges to edge Garcia on the cards, and wasted little time afterward making his ambitions clear, calling out a top-15 opponent in the division.
Garcia, known as "Gifted," came in as a tough out. The 32-year-old Mexican lightweight out of Team Elevation carried a 19-4 record into the night and had won three straight, with his last defeat coming more than two years ago. He is a well-rounded fighter who lands 4.31 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy, and he supplements his stand-up with a strong wrestling game, averaging 3.13 takedowns per 15 minutes. Despite those tools, he could not find enough to sway the judges, suffering the first blemish on his record in over two years and seeing his winning streak snapped at three.
Why it matters
- Rongzhu's four-fight streak puts him in a strong position to demand a ranked opponent, and his post-fight callout signals he views this win as a stepping stone.
- Garcia's loss interrupts real momentum; bouncing back quickly will be important to protect his standing in a competitive lightweight division.
- The slim 29-28 scores suggest Garcia made it competitive, which may complicate how matchmakers view the gap between the two fighters going forward.
