Gregory Rodrigues secured a dominant unanimous decision win over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night 285 in Sacramento this past Saturday, pushing his impressive winning streak to four fights! This dude is on an absolute roll, and it’s crystal clear he needs to be in the conversation for some seriously marquee middleweight matchups.
“RoboCop” Is Peaking Right Now and He Wants the Big Names
Rodrigues, now 34 years old, has definitely found his prime form. After a few bumps early in his UFC run, “RoboCop” is locked in, boasting a 20-6 MMA record with 11-3 in the UFC. If he’s serious about making a run for that middleweight title, the time is now, period. He’s not quite there yet, still a few steps away from a championship bout, but let’s be real, he’s in a much better spot than he’s ever been. And what did he do with his post-fight mic time? He called out former 185-pound champion Dricus Du Plessis. That’s a power move, and honestly, it’s the right name to chase.
What’s Next for Rodrigues? The UFC Has Options
It turns out the UFC actually had an appetite for a Rodrigues vs. Du Plessis showdown earlier this year. They just ended up going in different directions, giving us Rodrigues vs. Hernandez and Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman in July, where Du Plessis got his hand raised in a main event. With both fighters coming off big wins, a matchup between Rodrigues (20-6 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and Du Plessis (24-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) wouldn’t be a bad pairing at all.
Now, Du Plessis probably wants a title shot or an even bigger name, so he might not be super keen on fighting “RoboCop.” But hey, the UFC could always make it happen, right? And if it doesn’t, Rodrigues isn’t exactly dry on options. Guys like Joe Pyfer (16-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Brendan Allen (27-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC) are also high in the rankings and would be massive fights for Rodrigues. Any of these opponents, whether it’s Du Plessis, Pyfer, or Allen, would be huge for his career, offering a beneficial opportunity and a proper test to see just how far he can go. This dude is champing at the bit, and we’re ready to see what’s next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply