Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues Headline UFC's Return to Sacramento

Sacramento's own Anthony Hernandez is set to face off against Brazilian powerhouse Gregory Rodrigues at the Golden 1 Center. The Octagon returns to California's capital with a pivotal middleweight clash.

The Octagon makes its return to Sacramento for the first time since July 2019. On August 22, 2026, the fight night at the Golden 1 Center will be headlined by an intriguing middleweight showdown between local star Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez and Brazilian fighter Gregory "Robocop" Rodrigues.

Anthony Hernandez, 32 (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC), who trains in nearby El Dorado Hills, enters his first UFC bout with home-field advantage. Hernandez was on an eight-fight winning streak before suffering a defeat in February against former champion Sean Strickland. Despite this, his divisional statistics remain impressive – he holds the record for the most takedowns in UFC middleweight history with a total of 54, and 12 of his 15 career victories have come before the final bell (including 5 submissions in the UFC).

Facing him is 34-year-old Brazilian Gregory Rodrigues (19-6 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who is in superb form with three consecutive wins and six victories in his last seven bouts. The eight-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu national champion boasts solid takedown defense (75%) and exceptional striking power – 15 of his 19 wins have come by KO/TKO.

The main card for UFC Sacramento also features other exciting matchups: in the heavyweight division, Sergei Spivak meets Vitor Petrino; in the light heavyweight category, Reinier de Ridder faces Roman Dolidze; Markel Medeiros will take on Mason Jones in a lightweight bout; and Carly Judis goes up against Geysla Chavez in the women's flyweight division.