Months after he delivered one of 2025’s most convincing performances, unified super flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is back in the spotlight. Several outlets have revealed that the pound-for-pound star may move up a division for a face-off against WBA titleholder Antonio Vargas. The news has generated considerable buzz, considering the step brings him closer to his stated goal of facing the champion siblings, fellow P4P star Naoya Inoue and Takuma Inoue.

“🚨 BREAKING,” @Source of Boxing wrote, citing insider Julius Julianis. “Bam Rodriguez is reportedly set to face Antonio Vargas next on an upcoming date at bantamweight‼️. ”

This past November, on the Ring card in Riyadh, Jesse Rodriguez knocked out “Puma” Martinez in the 10th round to claim the WBA 115-pound belt. Months earlier, he stopped South Africa’s Phumelele Cafu to become a WBO champion. Since the victory over Martinez, attention has shifted to what comes next.

Speaking with the Ring, his longtime trainer Robert Garcia laid out a path that ultimately leads to a showdown with Naoya Inoue, the two-division undisputed champion. Before that, the route at 118 pounds could include a matchup with Inoue’s brother Takuma, who holds the WBC belt.

“The best fight to make for Bam at 118 right now is against the WBC champion, Takuma Inoue,” Garcia told the Ring. “That would be very exciting, to beat Takuma and then face the brother, Naoya, in a big fight. That’s a great fight and a great plan to look forward to and very well could be a possibility … The biggest challenge for Bam in the future is Naoya Inoue. He’s not going to hold back too long before going up against someone like him.”

A shot at Antonio Vargas’ title would fit in that trajectory.

Why 118 pounds makes sense for Jesse Rodriguez right now

At the same time, Garcia has spoken about Bam’s ambitions to become an undisputed champion at super flyweight. That goal would require a bout with IBF champion Willibaldo Garcia, raising questions about how that pursuit aligns with a move to bantamweight.

Uncertainty surrounding Willibaldo Garcia’s situation may help explain the shift in direction.

IBF champion since December 2024, the Mexican had a scheduled title defense on the Ring’s “Night of the Samurai” card. However, he withdrew from the bout against former champion Kenshiro Teraji after falling ill. He is now expected to face Andrew Moloney, with the fight tentatively scheduled in Kyrgyzstan.

With that division temporarily unsettled, the WBA landscape at 118 pounds presents a clear immediate opportunity. Before Vargas, Japan’s Seiya Tsutsumi held the title. Two demanding bouts left him dealing with injuries – first in a rematch against Daigo Higa and later against former titleholder Nonito Donaire – leading to his designation as champion in recess.

The WBA elevated Vargas this past May, during Tsutsumi’s initial tenure as champion in recess. Although Tsutsumi reclaimed the title against Donaire, facial injuries from that bout sidelined him, cancelling a planned title consolidation with Vargas scheduled for April 11.

With Takuma Inoue viewed as the primary long-term target, a matchup against Vargas, who has not fought since his draw with Higa this past July, could serve as a calculated step for Bam Rodriguez before pursuing the major fights at bantamweight.