The UFC Sacramento fight card delivered exactly what fans hoped for, with 10 finishes across 13 fights, including seven stoppages in the opening round. But the main event needed all five rounds to find a winner, and Gregory Rodrigues came out on top after a gritty battle with Anthony Hernandez.
“Robocop” picked up 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 and put the Brazilian firmly into the middleweight title conversation.
Hernandez came out in typical “Fluffy” fashion, immediately putting pressure on Rodrigues and looking for takedowns. He attempted 29 takedowns throughout the fight, but Rodrigues defended an incredible 26 of them. Even when Hernandez managed to get Rodrigues against the fence, “Robocop” stayed composed, constantly fighting grips, changing his position and finding ways to stay upright.
Rodrigues also made Hernandez pay whenever they separated. His leg kicks quickly became one of the biggest stories of the fight, repeatedly damaging Hernandez’s lead leg and making it difficult for him to close the distance. The second round was particularly brutal for Hernandez.
Rodrigues landed two low kicks that sent “Fluffy” crashing to the canvas. Hernandez somehow survived both times, scrambling back to his feet and refusing to give Rodrigues an easy finish. With Hernandez trapped against the fence, Rodrigues poured on the pressure, mixing punches with more kicks.
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Despite the punishment, Hernandez showed exactly why he has built a reputation as one of the UFC’s toughest fighters. He continued moving forward and even found success late in the second round, landing several right hands and scoring a takedown as Rodrigues began to slow down.
The third round marked Hernandez’s best stretch of the fight. He opened with another immediate takedown and forced Rodrigues to work from the clinch. Once there, Hernandez landed uppercuts and elbows while keeping Rodrigues from generating much offense of his own.
For a moment, it looked like the fight was beginning to swing Hernandez’s way. But Rodrigues made the right adjustment. His corner told him to stop backing up and start moving forward, and the Brazilian followed the advice to perfection. He marched toward Hernandez in the fourth round, forcing him to fight in the middle of the Octagon instead of allowing him to comfortably set up his wrestling.
Rodrigues carried that momentum into the fifth and final round. Hernandez again looked for a takedown early, but Rodrigues stuffed it and forced another striking exchange. Both fighters landed clean shots, although neither had the same energy they showed earlier in the fight.
Then came another low kick from Rodrigues that sent Hernandez to the canvas. This time, Rodrigues followed him down and finished the fight from top position. He even attacked a twister as Hernandez attempted to scramble, closing out a performance that showed both his power and his ability to make adjustments on the fly.
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All three judges ultimately sided with Rodrigues. With the victory, Rodrigues improved to 11-3 in the UFC and continued his impressive run at middleweight. Three of his four straight wins have also earned Fight Night bonuses, including two Performance of the Night awards and one Fight of the Night.
Hernandez, meanwhile, has now suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his career after previously putting together an eight-fight winning streak. As for what comes next, Rodrigues already has an opponent in mind. The Brazilian called for a matchup with former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and doubled down on the idea during his post-fight press conference.
After beating a ranked contender like Hernandez, “Robocop” believes he has earned the right to ask for a major fight. And after what he showed in Sacramento, it may be time for the UFC to start listening.
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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.
