WASHINGTON – Roiman Villa did it again Saturday night.

The hard-hitting Venezuelan had tremendous difficulty landing flush punches on previously undefeated Rashidi Ellis in the first seven rounds, but his persistent pressure wore down the faster, elusive Ellis and led to a second straight upset victory for the welterweight contender. Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) dropped Ellis twice during the 12th and final round and won their IBF elimination match by majority decision on the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia pay-per-view undercard at Capital One Arena.

Judges David Braslow and Paul Wallace both scored Villa a 114-112 winner. Judge Tammye Jenkins had it a draw, 113-113.

Ellis (24-1, 15 KOs) befuddled Villa with his fast hands and feet, as well as his jab, during the first half of their bout. Villa’s perseverance paid off, however, when the relentless aggressor’s power finally affected Ellis in the final round.

Ellis, of Lynn, Massachusetts, talked a lot about boxing undefeated Jaron Ennis next during the buildup toward Saturday’s fight versus Villa, but Villa inched closer to a title shot.

The 29-year-old Villa also knocked off undefeated Janelson Bocachica in his previous appearance. Villa dropped Detroit’s Bochachica (17-1-1, 11 KOs) in the second round and won an eight-round unanimous decision September 9 at Bally’s Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

On Saturday night, a sweeping left hook by Villa knocked Ellis flat on his back with just over 1:50 remaining in the 12th and final round. A wide-eyed Ellis beat the count, but he clearly was hurt.

Ellis held as Villa tried to finish him. A right hand by Villa sent Ellis to the canvas again a few seconds before the bell ring.

Villa also appeared to hit Ellis when he was down the second time, but referee Brent Bovell didn’t penalize Villa for a foul.

About 40 seconds into the 11th round, Ellis fell to the canvas after wrestling with Villa. Ellis fended off the aggressive Villa as best he could for the remainder of what was a competitive 11th round.

Ellis was more stationary by the start of the 10th round, which allowed Villa to land more punches on him in those three minutes than he had in many prior rounds. Villa’s right hand rocked Ellis with just under 20 seconds remaining in the 10th round, but Ellis fired right back.

Villa drilled Ellis with a right uppercut that made Ellis hold him just before the ninth round ended. A right hand by Villa landed with just over a minute on the clock in the eighth round, but Ellis wasn’t hurt.

Bovell called for a break in the action with 2:08 to go in the seventh round, so that Ellis could recover from a low blow. Villa felt Ellis faked a low blow about a minute later and demanded that his opponent move forward to fight.

Villa stalked Ellis for most of the sixth round, but he didn’t land many punches, as Ellis’ elusiveness continued to trouble him. Ellis used his jab and landed several right hands while working off his back in those three minutes.

Ellis’ quick combination, a left uppercut followed by a right hand, landed a few seconds before the midway mark of the fifth round. Ellis later landed a right hand just before the fifth round concluded.

Ellis drilled Villa with a left hook in an exchange that occurred about 1:15 into the fourth round. Ellis also blasted Villa with a right uppercut that connected a little more than a minute later.

Ellis slipped Villa’s left hook and showboated with just under 25 seconds on the clock in the third round. Ellis landed a flush right hand with just under 1:55 to go in the third round.

Villa and Ellis each landed hard jabs in an exchange late in the second round. Villa caught Ellis with a right uppercut as Ellis attempted to hold him barely a minute into the second round.

Ellis’ speed advantage was evident as soon as their fight began. He pumped his jab throughout the first round and mostly prevented Villa from getting his punches off.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.