Gregory Rodrigues attempts to move higher in the top ten of the UFC's Middleweight division when he faces Antony Hernandez this weekend.
The pair headline a UFC Fight Night in Sacramento on Saturday 22nd August as the No. 10 ranked power puncher takes on the No. 7 ranked gritty grappler.
Anthony Hernandez vs Gregory Rodrigues Preview
Hernandez (15-3-0) has to defend his No. 7 ranking here against Rodrigues (19-6-0) after losing in a title eliminator last time out.
Hernandez suffered a third-round TKO at the hands of Sean Strickland in February, with the American going on to reclaim his title against Khamzat Chimaev in May.
That loss ended a five-year winning run for Hernandez, which saw eight consecutive victories against the likes of Roman Dolidze (Sub R4), Brendan Allen (UD) and Michel Pereira (TKO, R5).
Rodrigues arrives here on a three-fight winning streak against Brunno Ferreira (TKO, R1), Roman Kopylov (UD) and Jack Hermansson (TKO, R1).
Prior to that run, the 34-year-old lost to Jared Cannonier via TKO in round 4 of their 2025 contest, in his only other main event slot.
This is an intriguing main event with both having contrasting styles; Hernandez a cardio heavy grappler coming up against a physically imposing power puncher in Rodrigues.
Hernandez averages 5.88 takedowns per minute compared to 1.88 for Rodrigues, who does possess a 75% takedown defence rate.
On their feet, Rodrigues lands 5.53 significant strikes per minute compared to 4.57 for Hernandez.
However, the powerful Brazilian has seven KO/TKO wins from his 10 UFC wins, compared to two from nine for the American, who has seen five of his UFC wins come via submission.
Anthony Hernandez vs Gregory Rodrigues Tale of the Tape
Anthony Hernandez | Gregory Rodrigues | |
Record: | 15-3 | 19-6 |
Age: | 32 | 34 |
Birthplace: | Dunnigan, California, United States | Manaus, Brazil |
Height: | 6' 0" | 6' 3" |
Stance: | Orthodox | Orthodox |
Last Fight: | Loss (TKO, R3) v Sean Strickland Feb 26 | Win (TKO, R1) v Bruno Ferreira, Mar 26 |
KO%: | 20% (of wins) | 70% (of wins) |
Alias: | Fluffy | Robocop |
Anthony Hernandez vs Gregory Rodrigues Top Tip
Bet Builder: Anthony Hernandez to win by KO, TKO or Submission + Under 3.5 rounds @ 21/10
Hernandez can get back in the win column here. The 32-year-old lost to the current champion in his last fight, who is one of the most awkward opponents for anyone on the roster.
Rodrigues is a powerhouse and a potential banana skin, but Hernandez’s cardio and relentlessness in mixing up grappling and striking may prove too much.
The Brazilian's takedown defense stats are strong; but these were built off lower-level opponents and it is worth noting that he was taken down twice by Roman Kopylov two fights ago.
Although he would prefer to take this fight to the mat, Hernandez is no slouch on the feet and may be able to catch Rodrigues with something if he can get him concerned about level changing for a takedown.
Rodrigues was clearly tired when he was finished in fourth by a tough veteran in Cannonier in his only five-round contest to date and may continue to find the full 25-minutes difficult with his size and muscle mass, particularly when being pushed by someone with the gas tank of Hernandez.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
