Anthony Hernandez vs. Gregory Rodrigues headlines UFC Sacramento Aug. 22

Anthony Hernandez will put his middleweight momentum on the line against Gregory Rodrigues in the main event of UFC Sacramento on August 22 in California, the promotion has announced.

Hernandez, known as "Fluffy," enters the fight ranked third in the middleweight division and carrying a 15-3 record. The 32-year-old American trains out of MMA Gold Fight Team and brings a well-rounded offensive game to the octagon. He lands 4.57 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy, and his wrestling is equally dangerous — he averages 5.88 takedown attempts per 15 minutes, giving opponents little room to breathe wherever the fight goes.

Rodrigues, nicknamed "Robocop," is a 34-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Kill Cliff FC who holds a 19-6 record. Standing six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach, he is a relentless volume striker who averages 5.6 significant strikes per minute. His forward pressure and output have made him one of the more entertaining fighters in the division, though his 51 percent striking accuracy suggests he absorbs punishment in pursuit of offense.

Why it matters

• Hernandez's third-place divisional ranking means a strong performance could push him into title contention at 185 pounds.
• Rodrigues's combination of size, reach, and striking volume gives him a clear stylistic path to victory against even elite competition.
• The contrasting approaches — Hernandez's accuracy and takedown threat versus Rodrigues's pace and physicality — set up a compelling stylistic clash that fits the main event stage.
• A Fight Night headliner in Sacramento gives the West Coast a marquee summer card built around the middleweight division's upper tier.