Gregory Rodrigues was able to drop Anthony Hernandez multiple times with calf kicks tonight in the main event of UFC Fight Night 285, while also withstanding his grinding tactics over five rounds to emerge with a unanimous decision victory.

Round One

The middleweight main event is underway in Sacremento!

Hernandez quickly tries for a takedown, but doesn’t get it. He is able to press Rodrigues up against the cage though.

Rodrigues looks to reverse the position as Hernandez lands an elbow, but ‘Fluffy’ is soon back in the dominant position.

Hernandez trying for a single-leg now, but Rodrigues prevents it. Elbow strike from Hernandez and then they gradually get back to striking range.

Body punch from Rodrigues. Hernandez feels out with a punch to close the distance and set up another takedown attempt against the cage. Hernandez finding Rodrigues tricky to get down so far though.

Back to striking range they go. Body punch for Rodrigues. He lands the jab. He connects with that again and Hernandez grins.

Hernandez drives in for another takedown that fails. Rodrigues lands a solid punch. Another couple of punches land for him.

Body punch from Rodrigues. Hernandez with a right hand and then tries for a single-leg against the cage, but again Rodrigues shuts it down.

Elbow from Hernandez on the way out of this and opens a cut above the left eye of Robocop.

Hernandez quickly back in again on a takedown but as he’s bent over Rodrigues blasts him with a few elbows. They break away just before the horn sounds.

Round Two

Hernandez presses forward and lands a right hand. Now a one-two from Rodrigues. Jab for Hernandez and then his latest takedown attempt that again stalls against the cage.

Right hand for Hernandez as they exit. Leg kick for Rodrigues. He lands another to the calf. Another solid connection to the calf. And again.

Hernandez back to the clinch against the cage. Rodrigues drops a couple of elbows down.

They are soon back to striking range. Low kick for Rodrigues. Big calf kick from Rodrigues drops Hernandez!

Hernandez back up, but he gets dropped again with another leg kick soon after. Hernandez works to his feet a third time. Big punch from Rodrigues buckles Hernandez legs for a moment.

Rodrigues sweeps the leg to put Hernandez down again. Rodrigues now settling into Hernandez’s half-guard.

Hernandez manages to find space to drive back up to his feet working for a single-leg. He doesn’t get that but clinches up.

They break away and Rodrigues knocks him off-balance again with a leg kick. Hernandez’s calf is clearly done, but he is not as he somehow gets back up and marches forward.

Hernandez now unleashing hard straight punches that Rodrigues does well to take, then drives in for the takedown again.

Round Three

‘Fluffy’ grins broadly before the round starts. Then he bursts forward and goes for a takedown with extra drive to it this time and that makes the difference, bringing him down.

Hernandez all over Rodrigues on the mat, but to his credit Robocop does manage to stand back up against the cage.

Hernandez tries to get him back down, but then lands a punch instead as they break apart.

Hernandez clinches up again on the other side of the cage. Rodrigues defends the takedown though. Elbow in tight from Fluffy. Rodrigues with a punch.

Hernandez steps back then lands a left hand to get back into the clinch.

They break apart again. Hernandez with a couple of jabs to yet again return to the clinch. Rodrigues with punches to get out of the clinch but looked a bit labored there and Fluffy closes the distance again.

Relentless grinding from Hernandez here and there’s still two rounds to go. He backs up and Rodrigues lands a front kick to the body. Head kick attempt from Hernandez is blocked. He tries for one final single-leg without success.

Round Four

Rodrigues lands a solid jab. Now a calf kick. Hernandez lands a hook, but Rodrigues counters with a body kick.

Both men trading punches now for a moment. Rodrigues with a body kick. A couple of right hands from Robocop.

Punch from Rodrigues. Hernandez fails on a takedown in the center of the Octagon. Rodrigues lands a couple of punches.

Left hand for Hernandez. Body punch from Rodrigues. Now a body kick again. Hard right hand for Robocop. Now a short uppercut.

One-two for Rodrigues. He lands the calf kick too. Glancing right hand. Another right. Hernandez struggling to land his own strikes here. Rodrigues with another calf kick that forces a grimace and stumble from Hernandez. He tries for it again.

Hernandez able to clinch up but can’t land the takedown. He’s able to stall against the cage though. Big elbow strike from Hernandez. He drags Robocop to the mat, but he stands right back up.

Final 10 seconds of the round and Hernandez digs deep to land a big takedown before the horn.

Round Five

Hernandez drives into a takedown, but Rodrigues prevents it. Hernandez back to clinching against the cage.

Rodrigues does a good job of reversing the position, but Hernandez does the same to him.

Back to striking range now. Body punch from Rodrigues. He lands that again. Now a calf kick. Hernandez eating strikes while closing the distance to clinch up.

Hernandez fails on a single-leg attempt. Elbow strike from Hernandez. He loads up on three more elbows.

They back off. Right hook from Hernandez. Knees to the body from Robocop. Hernandez clinches in the center of the Octagon.

Rodrigues with a combination. Hernandez into the clinch. Knee to the body from Rodrigues. Hernandez presses him into the cage.

A couple of hooks gets Rodrigues out of the clinch. Leg kick from Rodrigues puts Hernandez down.

Rodrigues in Hernandez’s guard now with a minute to go. Hernandez trying to work back to his feet, but just as he’s about to Rodrigues goes around to his back. Hernandez able to turn into him just as the fight is coming to a close.

Decision

Hernandez pushed a hard, grinding pace here, but all credit to Rodrigues for having the stamina to withstand that for five rounds, while also showing excellent takedown defense, harder punches and crucially also managing to floor Fluffy’ numerous times with heavy calf kicks. As such it’s ‘Robocop’ who emerges with a unanimous decision (48-47 x2, 49-46).