Gregory Rodrigues Eyes du Plessis Next

Gregory Rodrigues used his UFC Sacramento main-event victory to make a case for a larger middleweight assignment. After going five rounds with Anthony Hernandez and taking a unanimous decision, Rodrigues publicly named former 185-pound champion Dricus du Plessis as the opponent he wants next. The result was his fourth consecutive win and, according to the post-fight reports, the biggest victory of his career. Rather than treating the Hernandez bout as a stopping point, Rodrigues presented it as evidence that he belongs in the division’s higher tier.

The callout came immediately after the fight, but Rodrigues did not say he expected an instant title shot. His stated goal was a bout with a No. 1 contender for the belt, and du Plessis was the fighter he directly addressed. Later, at the post-fight press conference, Rodrigues also identified Khamzat Chimaev as a possible matchup. His focus remained on advancing toward the front of a middleweight landscape he described as changing. The ranking positions cited by MMA Fighting give the request important context. Rodrigues entered UFC Sacramento at No. 15 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. Hernandez was listed at No. 5 and tied with top contender Caio Borralho. Beating an opponent in that position gave Rodrigues a reason to seek a tougher assignment rather than another fight aimed at protecting his place. MMA Fighting reported that he was set for a major jump following the result, while Rodrigues said he wants an opportunity to crack the top three.

Five rounds offered a different kind of proof

Rodrigues had already built much of his UFC success on knockout finishes. Seven of his 11 victories in the promotion have come by knockout, a record that establishes the finishing power associated with his run. The Hernandez fight offered a different test. Rodrigues completed the full 25 minutes in the Sacramento headliner and won every judge’s decision after what MMA Fighting called a complete performance. That outcome addressed a question identified in the reporting about his credentials as a title contender: whether he could produce a complete showing over five rounds. Against Hernandez, Rodrigues did not need a stoppage to secure a key result. He emerged with a five-round unanimous decision over a highly ranked opponent, extending his streak to four victories. Rodrigues framed the situation in forward-looking terms at the press conference. He said he had beaten a tough opponent near the top of the rankings and questioned why he should look back. The point was not that a particular fight had already been arranged. It was that the performance against Hernandez changed the level of opponent he believes should be considered for him next.

There is still a clear line between Rodrigues’ preference and any confirmed matchmaking. No bout involving Rodrigues and du Plessis was announced after the event. Chimaev was another name Rodrigues mentioned, but he did not present either possibility as settled. He said he did not know what would happen in the division and would talk with his managers and the UFC before seeing what develops. Rodrigues also said he did not need to rush the process, while praising the UFC’s work. That leaves the immediate outcome limited to what is verified: he beat Hernandez, stated his desire for elite opposition and identified du Plessis as his preferred target. The No. 15-to-No. 5 ranking comparison explains the basis for his push upward, but it does not confirm a new ranking, a top-three placement or the identity of his next opponent. The main points from Rodrigues’ post-fight position are:

Disclosed salaries added another Sacramento marker

The Sacramento event also produced a separate, documented measure of Rodrigues’ night. The California State Athletic Commission released disclosed salaries to MMA Fighting, and Rodrigues led the card with a reported $340,000 payday. That total consisted of $170,000 to show and a $170,000 win bonus. Those numbers require their proper context. They are the purses disclosed to the commission, not a complete accounting of every possible payment connected to the event. The reported salaries do not include additional UFC bonuses. The purse also does not determine who Rodrigues will face next, and his comments about du Plessis or Chimaev were based on his competitive standing rather than money. Still, the salary report and the fight result describe two confirmed features of the same evening. Rodrigues recorded what the post-fight reporting called the biggest win of his career, then topped the disclosed pay list for the card. His UFC record now stands at 11-3, with seven knockout wins, and the Hernandez decision showed he could carry a main event through 25 minutes. For now, Rodrigues’ request remains just that: a request. Du Plessis was the name he called out after the victory, while Chimaev entered the discussion during the press conference as another possible opponent. Rodrigues said he will speak with his managers and the UFC, and the available reports do not go beyond that stage. The next fight has not been announced.

• Preferred target: Dricus du Plessis, the former 185-pound champion Rodrigues called out after the Hernandez win.
• Other named possibility: Khamzat Chimaev, whom Rodrigues mentioned during the post-fight press conference.

Rodrigues left UFC Sacramento with a unanimous-decision win over Anthony Hernandez, a fourth straight victory and a stated ambition to move into bigger middleweight fights. His preferred matchup is Dricus du Plessis, with Khamzat Chimaev also mentioned as a possibility. The rankings context, five-round performance and disclosed salary all add substance to the event, but none confirms Rodrigues’ next opponent.

Sources: MMA Fighting; BJPenn