Seiya Tsutsumi and Daigo Higa were once again fit to be tied.

Even with the higher stakes for their rematch, the pair of Japanese bantamweights fought to a draw. All three judges—Tetsuya Iida (114-114), Michiaki Someya (114-114) and Kazutoshi Yoshida (114-114)—turned in identical scores to produce the stalemate Monday at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Tsutsumi (12-0-3, 8 KOs), The Ring's No. 3 bantamweight, retained his WBA title, but had to overcome a cut as well as the first knockdown of his career in their ESPN+/Amazon Prime Japan-aired title fight. Their first meeting—an eight-rounder in Oct. 2020—carried significantly less on the line but ended in a majority draw.

Higa (21-3-2, 19 KOs), The Ring's No. 9 bantamweight and a former WBC flyweight titlist, made the defending titlist work to hold his belt, but hurt his chances by waiting to land one big shot rather than set up those moments. Tsutsumi was the busier fighter throughout and was steady with his jab-right hand combination.

Tsutsumi found himself in a familiar place, having to contend with a cut over his right eye. Higa dipped down and attempted to come forward in the fourth, but instead slammed his head into Tsutsumi to produce the wound. Time was called for the ringside physician to examine before action was permitted to continue.

Naturally, Higa made a point to target the fresh wound with his left hook. Tsutsumi adjusted and made it out of the round but cutman Shingo Suzuki was put to work to ensure that the fight wouldn't be stopped early.

Just five months after he fell just short to countryman and WBO titlist Yoshiki Takei, Higa once again failed to do those little extras to seize the moment. His power shots were more telling, but also offered one at a time and after riding out Tustsumi's offensive attack.

The low output by Higa and the defensive adjustments by Tsutsumi prevented the cut from becoming a factor for the rest of the bout.

Action picked up considerably in the eighth, primarily when Higa decided to increase his workrate. The left hook landed with consistency for the spirited challenger, which Tsutsumi took well and responded with combinations down the middle.

Both fighters hit the deck in the ninth, an early entrant for 2025's Round of the Year.

Higa struck first as he finally hit paydirt with his left hook. It slammed across Tsutsumi's chin to send him to the canvas midway through the round.

Tsutsumi beat the count to put behind the first knockdown of his career. He immediately went to work, knowing that his challenger would look for the knockout blow. Higa continued to find success with his left hook, but was open for a counter right hand down the middle as Tsutsumi leveled up the knockdown count near the end of the frame.

The sequence was a monstrous momentum shift, as Tsutsumi was the busier fighter down the stretch. Higa was clearly mindful of his countryman's power but still found occasional success with his left hook as well as his heavy right hand over the top.

Both fighters embraced after 12 more completed rounds, and 20 in total. The repeat competitive affair left room for a trilogy clash, though Tsutsumi is more inclined to seek out his countryman at the top level.

Tsutsumi is one of four reigning bantamweight titlists from Japan. Junto Nakatani (29-0, 22 KOs), The Ring's No. 1 bantamweight and No. 9 pound-for-pound fighter, holds the WBC belt and defends against David Cuellar (28-0, 18 KOs) in Monday's main event. Ryosuke Nishida (10-0, 1 KO) is the IBF titlist, while Takei (10-0, 8 KOs) is still the WBO titleholder.

Nakatani, Nishida, Tsutsumi and Takei represent The Ring's top four at bantamweight, in that order.

Tsutsumi claimed the WBA 118-pound title in a thrilling twelve-round, unanimous decision over Takuma Inoue (20-2, 5 KOs) last Oct. 13 in this very arena.

Higa is now 3-2-1 in major title fights, but unsuccessful in his last three. His WBC flyweight title reign ended first at the scale when he was well over the 112-pound limit, and then in the ring in an April 2015 ninth-round knockout to Cristofer Rosales. His loss to Takei last September was spirited enough to warrant a second consecutive title shot.