Athletes
Gregory Rodrigues | Discipline Over Everything
Brazilian Middleweight Gregory Rodrigues Focused On Consistency And Patience Ahead Of His Fight With Roman Kopylov At VeChain UFC 322
At the highest level, the gains are often made in the margins, and it often takes adversity to put what was once on the periphery into the spotlight.
For Gregory Rodrigues, that came in the form of a main event against Jared Cannonier in February. Although “Robocop” started hot and dropped the former title challenger twice in the first round, it was “Tha Killa Gorilla” who ended the night with his hand raised when he stopped the Brazilian in the fourth round.
Order VeChain UFC 322 | Get FREE Tickets To The Press Conference & Ceremonial Weigh-Ins
Rodrigues reflected on the experience and realized he needed to exercise more patience. Ironically, Rodrigues returned to action in June and picked up a first-round knockout against Jack Hermansson at UFC 317. However, the 33-year-old, who has earned nine of his 17 professional wins via first-round stoppage, believes the lessons were learned and executed upon all the same.
“That just showed exactly what I learned from my fight against Cannonier, about patience, about knowing myself much more,” Rodrigues told UFC.com. “I [unveiled] the new version of Gregory, and I will bring all the experience that I had in the last couple of fights that I had.”
When you’re an all-action type of fighter like Rodrigues, patience can in fact come through in a fight that ends within the first five minutes. Instead of swinging for the fences, Rodrigues waited for his big opportunity and made the most of it against Hermansson. Now, his sights are set on fellow knockout artist Roman Kopylov at VeChain UFC 322 in a fight which promises fireworks.
Although Kopylov isn’t in the middleweight rankings, this feels like a fight where the winner could almost certainly find themselves with a shot at the Top 15 early in 2026. For Rodrigues, who is 8-3 since joining the roster in June 2021, it feels like he has taken the necessary lumps required of a fighter to make the leap.
Watch Every Episode Of VeChain UFC 322 Embedded
“You need to take a lesson,” he said. “It doesn’t matter about the result. For sure, when you lose, you look at it different, but in that fight, I learned a lot about needing patience not just inside the Octagon but for my life. Training, loving the process, and see, and not go inside the Octagon just waiting for the better result. Sometimes the better result is just the win, so that’s what I learned, and I’m able to do that.”
While the opportunity to fight in Madison Square Garden excites Rodrigues, he’s also trying to operate without the need for motivation. Rodrigues recalls a conversation he had with his pastor, who referenced a tennis player delineating the difference between motivation and discipline.
Motivation, he said, comes and goes, but when someone is disciplined, they can overcome a lack of motivation and put the necessary work in to succeed. Rodrigues took that mindset to heart and believes he was more disciplined than ever as he prepared for the dynamic Kopylov.
“I love this fight,” Rodrigues said. “I love the matchup. Kopylov is such a talented [guy]. He’s fast. He’s strong. I like to test myself against that, so this fight will be amazing. I can’t wait to go in there with him and put on a show.”
FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook | On Instagram | On X | On Threads
All told, this year has unfolded favorably in Rodrigues’ eyes. While he would’ve rather beat Cannonier, the opportunity to fight three times in a calendar year for the first time since 2022 is a welcome one.
Activity allowed Rodrigues to find a groove within a disciplined life of a fighter, and he hopes to parlay that into a career-best performance in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” Of course, Rodrigues can wax poetic about a “new” version of himself all he wants, but when the Octagon door closes, everyone, including him, knows what to expect from a Gregory Rodrigues fight.
“[Fans should expect] a war, for sure,” he said. “A great fight.”
VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev took place live from Madison Square Garden Arena in New York, New York on November 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
Tags