What's Next for Hernandez, Rodrigues After UFC Sacramento

Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues both have UFC matchmakers weighing their next moves after Rodrigues took a hard-fought unanimous decision over Hernandez in the UFC Sacramento main event, and the two men are now headed in very different directions inside the middleweight rankings.

Rodrigues left Golden 1 Center having won his fourth straight fight and called out former champion Dricus du Plessis for a title eliminator on the spot. Hernandez, fighting in front of his home crowd roughly 40 miles from his hometown of Dunnigan, dropped his second fight in a row for the first time in his career after previously riding an eight-fight win streak.

What's Next for Gregory Rodrigues After His UFC Sacramento Win

Gregory Rodrigues has put himself in position for a genuine title shot conversation after out-landing and out-lasting a five-round test against a top-10 opponent. Rodrigues entered the fight as an underdog on the road against a hometown favorite and still walked out with a clean sweep on the scorecards. That kind of performance, backing up a three-fight winning streak that included a finish over Brunno Ferreira in March, gives the promotion a real case for sliding him into the next-in-line conversation at 185 pounds. His call for a matchup with Dricus du Plessis is an aggressive ask this early, and the more realistic path likely runs through another ranked contender first, but the win moves him firmly into that tier of the division regardless of who UFC brass lines up next.

What's Next for Anthony Hernandez After His UFC Sacramento Loss

Anthony Hernandez now has to answer questions about his ceiling after back-to-back losses, the first skid of his professional career. The Strickland fight already cost him a clear shot at UFC gold, and a decision loss to Rodrigues on home turf makes it harder to argue he's still first in line for anyone at the top of the division. Hernandez has built his reputation on relentless grappling pressure, and his output was there against Rodrigues, he pushed the pace and forced scrambles throughout, but volume without control on the scorecards doesn't move him back up the ladder. The likely next step is a step-down fight against a fellow ranked name to rebuild momentum rather than an immediate crack at another top-five opponent.

Betting Angle

Hernandez opened as a solid favorite for this fight, and the result is a reminder that live dogs with real power and durability are worth respecting in five-round main events. For his next outing, expect Hernandez to open as a favorite again given his name recognition and style, but sportsbooks and bettors alike will want to see how he responds mentally before backing him heavily. Rodrigues, meanwhile, is squarely live as an underdog against ranked competition going forward. Anyone booked against him now has to account for a fighter who has proven he can go 25 minutes and still be finding right hands in the fifth round.

Both fighters remain part of the middleweight picture, and how the promotion books their next fights will say a lot about where each man actually sits in the pecking order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the fight between Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues at UFC Sacramento?

Gregory Rodrigues defeated Anthony Hernandez by unanimous decision in the UFC Sacramento main event, sweeping the scorecards after a full five-round fight.

What is next for Gregory Rodrigues after beating Anthony Hernandez?

Gregory Rodrigues called out former middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis after the win, and his fourth straight victory puts him in the conversation for a top contender matchup at 185 pounds.

How many losses in a row does Anthony Hernandez have after UFC Sacramento?

Anthony Hernandez has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career, following his loss to Gregory Rodrigues after previously being stopped by Sean Strickland.