Rodriguez (24-0, 17 KOs) navigated a handful of uncomfortable moments early on but eventually seized the fight during his division debut, dropping Vargas (19-2-1, 11 KOs, 1 NC) in the fifth round before knocking him out in the next frame. 

After rocking Vargas, the three-division champion Rodriguez's attention shifted toward a titanic tussle against undisputed 122-pound champion Naoya Inoue, and if he’ll need another fight to get acclimated at 118 pounds before taking a bite at boxing’s pound-for-pound king. 

"Whatever they throw in front of me, I'm going to say yes," Rodriguez said during his post-fight press conference. 

Promoter Eddie Hearn stressed urgency with his remarks and said Rodriguez, manager/coach Robert Garcia, and he need to be in lockstep with their next move. 

"If we don't do [Rodriguez-Inoue] soon, we're probably going to miss the boat," Hearn said. "I think if the offer is right, I think Bam and Robert will do it. I don't think they have any fear of doing it.

"Robert and Bam are going to have to weigh up a decision. Do you do it now? Or run the risk of letting it go forever? I don't think there's a bad decision, because realistically, Bam can stay at 118 pounds and fight all the champions and be undisputed. The move to 122 is inevitable, but is it in December-January [for the Inoue fight]?

"Or is it in a year's time? So a lot depends on the offer. I think it will be an attractive offer, if it's not then we carry on unifying the division. Bam's got many years ahead of him."

Hearn and Garcia zeroed in on WBO bantamweight champion Christian "Chispa" Medina (24-4, 19 KOs), a fighter tied to Matchroom, as a likely next opponent this fall.

That's despite WBC champion and Inoue’s younger brother Takuma dominating the fight week narrative as a strong storyline-driven foe that could better set up the matchup against "The Monster."

"For me, the perfect idea would be to get another fight [at 118]," Garcia said. "I think it will be a better performance … Medina is very strong, so it would be a great test. Hopefully, we can get something going before the end of the year."

The 26-year-old Rodriguez, meanwhile, said he's ready to rock and roll against the Japanese juggernaut Inoue, as conversations of late have surprisingly included a possible retirement before the age of 30. 

"I feel like I'm capable of beating anybody that the team puts in front of me," Rodriguez said.

Meanwhile, the 33-year-old undisputed champion has been campaigning at 122 pounds since 2023 and is 9-0 in the weight class. Fresh off a decisive decision win against Junto Nakatani last month, the Japanese star desperately needs fresh blood in the weight.

If Rodriguez doesn't play ball promptly, Inoue could be inclined to make a run at 126 pounds, which he's previously alluded to.

"Money is very important, but legacy is also important as well," Rodriguez said. 

"I feel like I can't retire without fighting Inoue. So, I need to get that fight before, of course beat him, make the money and enjoy it with my family."

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.