Rodrigues outpoints Hernandez over five rounds to demand du Plessis or Chimaev

Gregory Rodrigues cemented his place among the UFC’s elite middleweights on Saturday, outpointing a durable Anthony Hernandez across five rounds to win a unanimous decision in the main event of UFC Sacramento — and immediately demanded a top-three opponent.

The Brazilian, nicknamed “Robocop”, entered the night ranked No. 15 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings but defeated a fighter ranked No. 5 in Hernandez, setting up a significant leap up the 185-pound ladder. It was Rodrigues’ fourth consecutive victory and his 11th win inside the UFC octagon, where seven of those have come by knockout.

“Dricus du Plessis, where are you, man?” Rodrigues said in his post-fight interview. “I want you. Let’s go. No. 1 contender to fight for the belt. Dricus du Plessis, I want you.”

The win also answered a lingering question about Rodrigues’ title credentials: could he sustain a complete, disciplined performance across a full 25 minutes? Against the gritty Hernandez — ranked level with top contender Caio Borralho — he did exactly that.

At the post-fight press conference, Rodrigues made clear he has no interest in a step-down fight. “Why I’m going to look back?” he said. “I just beat the No. 6 in the rankings, tough guy, and I want to go forward. I think Dricus is a good fight or even Khamzat [Chimaev], I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the division, but the division is changing and I want my place right there.”

Rodrigues added that he is in no rush to force the matchmaking, preferring to let his performance speak and then work through the proper channels. “I love what the UFC does,” he said. “They did an amazing job. So I don’t need to rush. I will take my time, I made my call, I’m going to talk with my managers. I’m going to talk with the UFC and we will see it.”

With du Plessis a former champion and Chimaev a perennial top-five presence, either fight would represent the biggest test of Rodrigues’ career — and, on the evidence of UFC Sacramento, one he appears ready for.