Rodrigues denies cheating but admits possible glove grab after UFC Sacramento win over Hernandez

Gregory Rodrigues has rejected Anthony Hernandez’s claims that he cheated during their UFC Sacramento main event, though the Brazilian acknowledged he may have unintentionally grabbed his opponent’s gloves during wrestling exchanges.

Rodrigues extended his UFC win streak to four with a decision victory over Hernandez, dominating large portions of the fight with calf kicks that inflicted significant damage to the American’s lead leg. Hernandez — known as “Fluffy” — showed considerable resilience by continuing to press forward despite the punishment, but was unable to secure the takedowns he needed to change the fight’s complexion.

At the post-fight press conference, Hernandez alleged that Rodrigues repeatedly grabbed the inside of his gloves in the clinch and claimed he complained to referee Herb Dean multiple times without any action being taken. Rodrigues, speaking to Ariel Helwani, dismissed the accusations directly.

“You can say whatever you want,” Rodrigues said. “The fact is that I beat him with the leg kicks. I punched him. He didn’t take me down. He didn’t do nothing. He put a pressure that was good, but I didn’t cheat him — he knows that. If that was clear, probably Herb Dean would probably say something, or everyone’s gonna see it on the TV. Sometimes, involuntary, my hands grab his gloves, but it was nothing that would change the result of the fight. But I’m still the same. A lot of respect for him. I know he’s a warrior.”

Rodrigues argued that Dean’s failure to intervene, combined with the absence of clear camera evidence, supports his position that no meaningful infraction occurred. While he stopped short of a full denial of any contact, he was firm that the outcome was determined by his striking — particularly the sustained calf-kick assault — rather than any grappling irregularity.

The exchange adds a fractious postscript to what was otherwise a commanding performance from Rodrigues, whose four-fight streak inside the UFC now places him firmly among the contenders in his division.