TLDR
- Gregory Rodrigues defeated Anthony Hernandez by unanimous decision at UFC Sacramento last weekend
- Hernandez accused Rodrigues of grabbing his gloves multiple times during the fight, which is illegal in MMA
- Rodrigues denies intentionally cheating and says referee Herb Dean would have intervened if the fouls were clear
- The Brazilian fighter admits some involuntary glove contact may have occurred but insists it didn’t change the fight outcome
- Rodrigues has called out former champion Dricus du Plessis for his next fight after the Fight of the Night performance
Sources: mmamania.com | heavy.com
UFC middleweight Gregory Rodrigues has responded to allegations that he cheated during his fight against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Sacramento last weekend. Rodrigues defeated Hernandez by unanimous decision in the main event on Paramount+.
Hernandez accused Rodrigues of repeatedly grabbing his gloves during the five-round fight. Glove grabbing is a foul under the Unified Rules of MMA.
“I told Herb, ‘This guy grabbed my glove like four times,'” Hernandez said after the fight. “And I was like, ‘Hey, he’s grabbing my gloves.’ And he told him, ‘Hey, stop.’ But I mean, whatever, don’t take a point.”
Hernandez expressed frustration that referee Herb Dean did not deduct a point from Rodrigues for the infraction. “I guess people like to cheat, so it is what it is,” he said.
Rodrigues Denies Intentional Fouls
Rodrigues, nicknamed “Robocop,” defended himself against the accusations in interviews with Yahoo Sports and The Ariel Helwani Show. He insisted that any glove contact was unintentional and did not affect the outcome.
Anthony Hernandez criticizes Gregory Rodrigues for "dirty" tactics in the #UFCSacramento main event.
"He was cheating, grabbing the inside of my gloves. I fight clean man."
🎥 @UFC pic.twitter.com/a9lKAwAAGl
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 23, 2026
“The fact is that I beat him with leg kicks, I punched him, he didn’t take me down, he didn’t do anything,” Rodrigues told Yahoo Sports. “He put on pressure and that was good but I didn’t cheat and he knows that.”
The Brazilian fighter pointed to Dean’s lack of intervention as evidence of his innocence. “If anything was clear, Herb Dean would’ve said something or everyone would’ve saw it,” he said.
Rodrigues acknowledged that some contact may have occurred but maintained it was accidental. “Sometimes involuntary, my hands grab his gloves but it was nothing that would change the result of the fight,” he explained.
He emphasized his respect for Hernandez despite the post-fight controversy. “Everyone can say whatever they want, I’m still the same man,” Rodrigues said. “I gave a lot of respect to him and I saw his family when I was there, his son was crying in the front row, it’s crazy but that’s the sport.”
Questions About Referee Performance
The incident has raised questions about Dean’s officiating during the fight. The veteran referee has faced criticism in recent months for failing to address rule violations during fights.
Multiple incidents involving Dean have occurred in the second half of 2026. Despite these concerns, Dean continues to be assigned high-profile fights by state athletic commissions.
The bout between Rodrigues and Hernandez earned Fight of the Night honors for its intense action. Both fighters are considered top contenders in the UFC middleweight division.
After his victory, Rodrigues called out former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis for his next fight. Du Plessis recently defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision at UFC Oklahoma City, also earning Fight of the Night.
Other potential opponents for Rodrigues include Caio Borralho and Joe Pyfer. The UFC has not announced Rodrigues’ next scheduled bout.
