TLDR
- Anthony Hernandez faces Gregory Rodrigues in the UFC Sacramento main event Saturday at Golden 1 Center
- Hernandez is coming off his first loss in five years after Sean Strickland knocked him out in February 2026
- Rodrigues enters on a three-fight winning streak with knockout victories in his last three bouts
- Hernandez is favored at -170 to -198 odds across multiple sportsbooks
- The fight will air on Paramount+ with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET
Sources: clutchpoints.com | sports.yahoo.com | cbssports.com | mmamania.com
Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues will meet Saturday night in the UFC Sacramento main event, with both middleweight contenders looking to move closer to a title shot.
Hernandez enters the fight at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, with a 15-3 record and one no contest. The 32-year-old is coming off his first loss in five years after Sean Strickland stopped him via third-round technical knockout in February 2026.
“I want to hurt somebody, man. I want to finish somebody,” Hernandez told CBS Sports. “I want to make somebody hate their life.”
The loss to Strickland came in what was supposed to be a title eliminator bout. Before that defeat, Hernandez had won eight straight fights, including a fourth-round rear-naked choke submission of Roman Dolidze in August 2025.
Latest updated card for #UFCSacramento by @3KFighting 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/eQN1yyhJ5l
— 3KFighting (@3KFighting) August 17, 2026
Hernandez Trained With Fighter Who Beat Him
Hernandez said he trained with Strickland and his team at Xtreme Couture after the loss. He credited the camp with helping him improve his approach.
“He helped me adjust some things,” Hernandez said. “The whole Xtreme Couture crew is absolutely amazing. They were nothing but respectful.”
Hernandez has won nine of his 15 career victories by submission. He averages 5.88 takedowns per fight with 48 percent accuracy and lands 4.57 strikes per minute.
Rodrigues brings a 19-6 record into the fight and is currently ranked 10th at middleweight. The 34-year-old Brazilian has won three straight fights, all by knockout.
His most recent victory came in March 2026 when he knocked out Brunno Ferreira in the first round at UFC 326. That performance earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.
Power Puncher Faces Grinding Wrestler
Rodrigues has 12 knockout wins in his career and six post-fight bonuses. He lands 5.53 strikes per minute but also absorbs 4.78 strikes per minute.
“There are two things a coach can’t put in a fighter: a heavy hand and heart. I’m born with both,” Rodrigues told CBS Sports. “I’m not looking for the knockout; it just happens.”
Despite his jiu-jitsu background, Rodrigues has not won by submission in nearly a decade. He has been knocked out in four of his six career losses.
Hernandez is favored by oddsmakers, with lines ranging from -170 to -198 depending on the sportsbook. Rodrigues is listed between +142 and +164 as the underdog.
The under 3.5 rounds is favored at -215, with the over at +165. Both fighters have high finish rates, with Hernandez stopping 12 of his 15 wins and Rodrigues finishing 15 of his 19 victories.
The co-main event features heavyweights Serghei Spivac and Vitor Petrino. Former middleweights Reinier de Ridder and Roman Dolidze will also compete at light heavyweight on the main card.
The event airs on Paramount+ with preliminary fights starting at 5 p.m. ET and the main card beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
