Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues are booked to meet in the main event of UFC Sacramento on August 22. The card streams live at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues will square off in the main event of UFC Sacramento on August 22, with the card streaming live at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Hernandez, known as "Fluffy," enters the bout as the sixth-ranked middleweight in the UFC. The 32-year-old American carries a 15-3 record and trains out of MMA Gold Fight Team. His game is built around a smothering wrestling-based attack, averaging nearly 5.9 takedowns per 15 minutes while also landing significant strikes at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy rate — one of the sharper numbers in the division. He also chips in 1.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat on the ground.
Rodrigues, nicknamed "Robocop," is the 11th-ranked middleweight and brings a 19-6 record into Sacramento. The 34-year-old Brazilian, who trains with Kill Cliff FC, is listed at six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach and is one of the more volume-heavy strikers in the weight class, averaging 5.6 significant strikes per minute. He also mixes in his own takedown threat at nearly two attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Hernandez is ranked five spots above Rodrigues, meaning a win for either fighter carries significant divisional weight.
- A Hernandez victory could push him firmly into title-contention conversations at 185 pounds, while Rodrigues would crack the top ten with a statement win.
- The contrast in styles — Hernandez's elite takedown volume and grappling accuracy against Rodrigues's high-output striking — sets up a compelling clash of approaches.
- Both fighters are orthodox stances, removing any southpaw wrinkle and putting the stylistic matchup front and center.
