Piera Rodriguez targets rankings, title run after split decision win\u00a0at UFC on ESPN 71
Rodriguez (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) closed the fight as a more than 40-1 favorite in the live odds against Souza (15-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC), but had to settle for the drama of a split call to open up the prelims at the UFC Apex.
Venezuela's Rodriguez won for the second straight time after back-to-back stoppage losses, but the split decision gave her a tense few moments at the end. Although the 32-year-old has six of her 11 wins by decision, Saturday was the first time she's been involved in a split.
'It kind of surprised me that I got a split decision, but a fight is a fight. You can see it from different angles sometimes,' Rodriguez told MMA Junkie at her post-fight news conference.
She said now that she's on a streak, she can start looking at a trip into the rankings and an eventual run at the women's strawweight title.
'I'm back in the gym (Monday) – I'm ready,' Rodriguez said. 'I just want to get into the rankings and then start climbing and go for the belt as soon as possible. I'm going to be a champion in this company, and I can't wait for it.'
Check out Rodriguez's post-fight news conference in the video above.
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