Gregory Rodrigues should now be included within the dialog for marquee middleweight fights after he acquired the higher of Anthony Hernandez in Saturday’s UFC Combat Night time 285 predominant occasion.
Rodrigues (20-6 MMA, 11-3 UFC) prolonged his profitable streak to 4 fights with a unanimous determination win over Hernandez (15-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at Golden 1 Middle in Sacramento, Calif., and now the fights are solely going to get greater.
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After some stumbles earlier in his promotional tenure, Rodrigues has seemingly now discovered his prime kind at 34 years outdated, and if he’ll make a run for the title, it needs to be now. He is nonetheless a couple of steps away, but it surely’s a greater place than he is ever been in earlier than.
“RoboCop” used his post-fight microphone time to name out former 185-pound champion Dricus Du Plessis (24-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC), and that is little question the correct identify to chase. In accordance with sources, the UFC certainly had an urge for food for that matchup earlier this yr, however finally opted to go in several instructions with Rodrigues in opposition to Hernandez and Du Plessis in opposition to Kamaru Usman, whom he beat in a July predominant occasion.
With each males getting their fingers raised, it would not be a horrible pairing subsequent. Nevertheless, it feels unlikely that Du Plessis goes to be eager on the matchup and would absolutely as an alternative favor a title combat or greater identify. UFC may give him no selection, but when it does not occur, it isn’t as if Rodrigues is dry on choices.
Names like Joe Pyfer (16-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Brendan Allen (27-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC) additionally maintain outstanding spots within the rankings and would symbolize development for Rodrigues within the division, whereas additionally being becoming assessments on each ends.
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Whether or not it is Du Plessis, Pyfer or Allen, it will be a useful alternative for Rodrigues, who ought to be champing on the bit for any of these names.
This text initially appeared on MMA Junkie: Mick Maynard’s Footwear: What’s subsequent for Gregory Rodrigues after UFC Sacramento win?