LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 11: (LR) Opponents Daniel Rodriguez and Alex Morono face off during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at UFC APEX on October 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The welterweight bout on the main card of UFC Vegas 98 found Daniel Rodriguez looking to get out of trouble against Alex Morono.
“D-Rod” was on a three-game losing streak despite not being in high profile matches against Neil Magny, Ian Machado Garry, and most recently Kelvin Gastelum. Still, he desperately needed a win against Morono, who had won and lost the past four or so matches.
Despite his recent losing streak, Rodriguez entered this contest as a (-220) betting favorite.
In the early going, Rodriguez put pressure on himself in a southpaw stance, trying to find the right spot for his straight left. Morono repeatedly countered Rodriguez’s powerful right hands. Morono appeared to have the upper hand for the first five minutes, but his volume and counter punches swung the round in his favor.
In the second round, Rodriguez’s constant pressure seemed to take a toll on Morono, and Morono’s performance declined. Rodriguez outshot Morono in second, evening the fight one round at a time. After two competitive rounds, both fighters were locked in a war of attrition, with one round needed to seal victory.
Morono tried to push Rodriguez away in the final round, but the California native forced his body and head forward with a left hand. Morono didn’t make much of an effort to settle the fight, but both fighters opted to stand and trade. In the final 30 seconds, Rodriguez scored his first and only takedown of the fight.
Looking at the scorecards, both Rodriguez and Morono thought they did enough to earn the win. The first judge, Sal D’Amato, scored the bout 29-28 for Morono, while the other two judges scored it 29-28 for Rodriguez. Rodriguez’s hard-fought split decision victory improves his UFC record to 8-4.
Official result: Daniel Rodriguez def. Alex Morono, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
