Fight Night cards have been some of the best UFC events in 2026, and UFC Sacramento certainly lived up to the hype. The card was packed with finishes, but the main event stole the show with an epic 25-minute battle between Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues.
“Robocop” scored the biggest win of his career, defeating the hometown favorite by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47). The victory extended Rodrigues’ winning streak to four fights and firmly put the Brazilian in the middleweight title conversation.
While Hernandez was all class toward Rodrigues during his post-fight interview, there was one thing that clearly rubbed “Fluffy” the wrong way. As impressive as Rodrigues was in securing his first-ever five-round decision victory, Hernandez accused him of using some underhanded tactics during their grappling exchanges.
View this post on Instagram
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Hernandez gave Rodrigues credit for his toughness but claimed the Brazilian repeatedly got inside his gloves during the fight.
He said, “The more I seen him slow down, I thought, ‘Ok, I’m going to get him this round.’ I hit him a few times, I rocked his shit, he’s a tough son of a bitch. I hit him with everything and the kitchen sink, hit him with some hard elbows, fucker was cheating and grabbing the inside of my gloves, and I told [referee] Herb [Dean] that.”
Hernandez made it clear that he tried to get Dean’s attention during the fight, but the referee ultimately only warned Rodrigues without taking a point. He added, “I fight clean, so it is what it is. Maybe I should be more dirty.”
The middleweight contender went into more detail about the alleged glove grabbing, saying, “I told Herb, ‘This motherfucker’s grabbed my glove, like, four times. Hey, he’s grabbing my gloves,’ and he told him, ‘Hey, stop.’ But I mean, whatever. Don’t take a point, whatever. I guess people like to cheat, so it is what it is.”
View this post on Instagram
That was enough to get fans talking, with many once again criticizing Dean for not taking stronger action. The reaction also brought back memories of the UFC Freedom 250 controversy involving Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, with some fans accusing the veteran referee of once again failing to intervene in a meaningful way.
Beyond that complaint, Hernandez had plenty of respect for Rodrigues, who walked away with the biggest win of his career. “Fluffy” was also happy to put on a show in front of a packed Sacramento crowd.
Hernandez admitted he made plenty of mistakes throughout the fight, but he sees that as a positive in the long run. With plenty of footage to study and areas to improve, the 32-year-old believes the loss can ultimately help him become a better fighter.
MORE MMA NEWS:
-
Cris Cyborg Reaches 30 Wins at PFL Tampa, Keeps Retirement Plans Unclear
-
Conor McGregor and Max Holloway Trade Barbs Over ‘Delusional’ Claims and Who Looks Older
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
