Rodrigues Denies Cheating After Hernandez Accuses Him Of Glove Grab

Gregory Rodrigues rejected accusations that he cheated during his decision win over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Sacramento, though he conceded he may have grabbed his opponent's gloves unintentionally.

The Brazilian middleweight extended his UFC win streak to four with the victory Saturday night. Hernandez, who absorbed heavy calf kicks throughout the bout, told reporters afterward that Rodrigues repeatedly grabbed the inside of his gloves during scrambles and that referee Herb Dean ignored his complaints.

Rodrigues Responds To Glove-Grab Claims

Rodrigues told Ariel Helwani that Hernandez knows full well he did not cheat. The 33-year-old argued that Dean would have stepped in if the fouls were obvious and that cameras would have caught clear violations. "You can say whatever you want," Rodrigues said, per Helwani. "The fact is that I beat him with the leg kicks. I punched him. He didn't take me down. He didn't do nothing. He put a pressure that was good, but I didn't cheat him; he knows that."

While Rodrigues acknowledged that his hands may have involuntarily contacted Hernandez's gloves, he insisted it did not alter the fight's outcome. He maintained respect for Hernandez despite the dispute, calling him a warrior.

Hernandez pressed forward throughout the contest despite the damage to his lead leg. Rodrigues landed strikes while defending takedowns and controlled distance with the calf kicks that proved decisive on the scorecards.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Gregory Rodrigues denies cheating, admits possible glove grab at UFC Sacramento