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Gregory Rodrigues Is Ready To Break From The Middleweight Pack
“Robocop” Has His Sights Set On Top 10 Opposition This Weekend, And Hopes To Take Championship Gold Into Custody Sooner Rather Than Later
Brazilian middleweight Gregory Rodrigues plans on gatecrashing the UFC’s 185-pound rankings with a victory over Jared Cannonier, then hitting the fast track to the top of the division.
Rodrigues will make the walk for his 10th UFC fight this weekend at the UFC APEX, where he’ll face Cannonier in the main event of the evening. With Rodrigues currently unranked, and Cannonier sitting seventh in the official UFC middleweight rankings, it’s a huge opportunity, and “Robocop” plans on taking full advantage.
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“I’m so excited for this fight,” he told UFC.com this week.
“I think that's payoff for the hard work I’ve done in my whole career to this moment. I’m so grateful, I’m so happy, and I can’t wait for it.”
Rodrigues’ last outing saw him travel across the pond to Manchester, where he outpointed English prospect and former Cage Warriors champion Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC 304. It was a memorable week for the Brazilian, who enjoyed a full-circle moment in the famous English city.
“There's a funny story, because that was UFC 304, and for UFC 204 I was there with Vitor Belfort,” Rodrigues recalled.
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“I was cornering him, and it was an amazing experience. I said, ‘Man, I just got back here, but now I’m gonna do the show!’
“Being in Manchester, I loved that place. I loved to fight there, the crowd was crazy! The fans are so crazy. I was very happy, that was an amazing experience for me.”
The experience was a memorable one, but, more importantly, Rodrigues returned home with a crucial win under his belt. His unanimous decision victory over Duncan extended his win streak to three, joining prior wins over Brad Tavares and Denis Tiuliulin.
“I knew that (Duncan) was gonna be a tough opponent, but that's the kind of fight I'm looking for,” he said.
“I’m a guy who takes on challenges and I go there and do it. And I knew that he's the kind of guy who would put me in a good, good position. Even though he didn't have a lot experience at the UFC, he's a very exciting guy, and everyone was watching him. I was the underdog in that fight, but that's what I want. I'm just gonna show who I am.”
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Once he got home, Rodrigues immediately looked to take another fight before the end of the year to keep his momentum going. But after the UFC struggled to find an opponent, he had to ride out the second half of 2024 without adding to his win tally.
But they say the best things come to those who wait, and Rodrigues’ patience was rewarded when he was booked to face Cannonier, a Top 10 contender and former title challenger. It’s a huge chance for “Robocop” to benchmark his own skills against a veteran campaigner who has competed at the very top of the division.
“When I heard about this fight against Jared Cannonier, man, that made me so excited,” he said.
“This fight means a lot to me. It shows how the UFC looks at me, giving me this kind of fight. Jared Cannonier has had a great career inside the UFC. He’s a guy that fought for the belt, his last five fights were five main events, so he has a lot of experience behind him.
“But the one thing I keep in my head – I’m not going to fight against what he did. I’m going to fight against a man. And that’s my thought.
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“I respect everything he did, I respect his journey, but it’s my time, it’s my turn. I’m ready for this opportunity. I was waiting for this, and it’s come in the perfect moment of my life.”
For Rodrigues, the chance to fight Top 10 opposition couldn’t have come at a better time. The middleweight division has opened up significantly over the past year, and there’s been a changing of the guard at the top of the division, with the rise of Dricus Du Plessis to undisputed champion and with a number of up-and-coming contenders starting to make their presence felt in the UFC’s middleweight rankings.
“I’ve seen the division change, change the generations,” said Rodrigues.
“Seeing (Nassourdine) Imavov right there – and a lot of important fights are going to happen in February and March.
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“After me, next week you have Brendan Allen and Fluffy Hernandez, so it’s a lot of change, and the belt fight just happened, and Dricus is still the champion. So I think it’s the perfect time, because all the middleweights, and especially the Top 10, is fighting in this time.
“So, I’ll beat Jared Cannonier, and then I’m not going to wait so long to fight again. I’m excited, because I see these changes, and I’m moving together with them. So it’s going to be a great time for the middleweight division, with so many good, new stars coming up, and I will be one of them.”
Rodrigues is rightly staying focused on Saturday night’s bout with Cannonier, but he said that if he gets the win he’s expecting at the UFC APEX, he’s going to keep things rolling all the way to a title shot.
Full Fight | Gregory Rodrigues vs Brad Tavares
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Full Fight | Gregory Rodrigues vs Brad Tavares
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“Probably one more fight or two more fights this year, and I see myself fighting for the belt really, really soon,” he said.
“So, I just need to do my job, the perfect job that I have been doing, and my time is gonna come.”
That means adding Cannonier to his list of vanquished opponents this weekend. Rodrigues says it should be a fun main event, and one that will end with his hand being raised.
“The fans can expect the ‘Robocop’ who will bring the justice inside the Octagon one more time, an exciting fight, and one big win for myself,” he said.
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Rodrigues took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!