UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues takes place this Saturday, August 22, 2026, live from Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The event marks the UFC's return to Sacramento and features a middleweight main event between two dangerous contenders. The entire event will stream live on Paramount+.

Headlining the event is a middleweight showdown between No. 6-ranked Anthony Hernandez and No. 11-ranked Gregory Rodrigues. Hernandez enters the fight looking to bounce back from his loss to Sean Strickland and re-establish himself as one of the division's top contenders. Rodrigues enters on a three-fight winning streak and has built a reputation as one of the most dangerous knockout artists at 185 pounds.

The matchup presents an intriguing clash of styles. Hernandez is known for his relentless pace, grappling, and ability to wear opponents down over the course of a fight. Rodrigues brings considerable power and a dangerous submission game, making him a threat whenever the fight enters a chaotic exchange.

The co-main event features a heavyweight matchup between Serghei Spivac and Vitor Petrino. The main card also includes Reinier de Ridder vs. Roman Dolidze, MarQuel Mederos vs. Mason Jones, Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves, and Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Shamil Gaziev.

Below are my top UFC Fight Night predictions for Saturday night's event.

UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues Predictions & Picks

Anthony Hernandez vs. Gregory Rodrigues

Pick: Anthony Hernandez

This fight offers a classic matchup as Hernandez is going to look to get the fight to the ground while Rodrigues will try to keep it standing and use his power.  We have seen Rodrigues fade in his previous fights, especially against Cannonier, so Hernandez will look to drag this into the later rounds.  This will be a tough start for Hernandez, but eventually his superior cardio will shine, and he will find the submission, likely in Round 3/4/5.

  • Prediction: Anthony Hernandez by Submission +225

Serghei Spivac vs. Vitor Petrino

Pick: Vitor Petrino

Spivac is aging, slower, and less durable than Petrino.  This is going to be a slow-paced fight, but the one-shot KO power, wrestling, and speed all lean towards Petrino.  At heavyweight, there is a lot of volatility as one punch can change a fight’s outcome, but Petrino should be the one dictating this fight, and eventually he will land big for the KO, or he’ll win a decision.

  • Prediction: Petrino ML -170

Reinier de Ridder vs. Roman Dolidze

Pick: Reinier de Ridder

This fight takes place at 205 lbs, which is unusual for both fighters.  De Ridder looked drained at 185 lbs, so the extra weight should help him fill out his 6’4 frame.  If De Ridder grapples and puts a pace on Dolidze, he will be able to wear him down and eventually find a submission victory.  With both men fighting in a weight class that they rarely fight in, there are some concerns about how their cardio will be, but I lean towards De Ridder being able to have the better cardio throughout the fight as well.

  • Prediction: Reinier de Ridder by Submission +240

 

 

 

How to Watch UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues

Fans can watch UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues live on Paramount+. The event takes place Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The prelims begin at 5:00 PM ET, followed by the main card at 8:00 PM ET.

  • Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
  • Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
  • Prelims: 5:00 PM ET
  • Main Card: 8:00 PM ET
  • Streaming Platform: Paramount+