Gregory Rodrigues stepped into his first main event on Saturday night, squaring off with former UFC title challenger Jared Cannonier in the UFC Vegas 102 headliner in Las Vegas.
Sitting on a three-fight win streak, including back-to-back finishes against Denis Tiuliulin and Brad Tavares, ‘Robocop’ was primed to climb his way into the middleweight top 10. But to do so, he’d have to go through Cannonier who stepped inside the Octagon in desperate need of a win after coming up short in his last two outings against Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.
Round 1
Rodrigues opens up with a calf kick and Cannonier fires one right back. Rodrigues doubles up on a body kick and then connects with a pair of right hands that has Cannonier backing up early. A one-two from Rodrigues partially connects. He follows it up with a calf kick and Cannonier gives him his receipt. Rodrigues connects with a left hook and then sits down Cannonier with a right hand. Rodrigues follows him to the mat, but Cannonier scrambles back up and clinches up against the fence, allowing himself to recover.
Rodrigues swings his way out and gets right back to walking down Cannonier. With two minutes to go, Rodrigues changes levels and gets a single leg, but Cannonier pops right back up and separates. Rodrigues with another booming left hand backs up Cannonier. Rodrigues rips to the body up against the fence. Cannonier circles away but gets clipped with another left hand.
Rodrigues tries to take his back before transitioning to a guillotine. Cannonier locks his hands a gets a nice double-leg takedown, but Rodrigues gets right back up. The round ends with the fighters clinched up against the fence.
Round 2
Cannonier comes out moving forward in the second round and lands a calf kick. Rodrigues swings, but Cannonier tags him with a counter right. Cannonier goes high with a head kick. Cannonier swings big with a right hand but misses the mark. Pressuring Rodrigues up against the fence, Cannonier lands a knee up the middle. Rodrigues jabs and throws a combination. Cannonier ducks under and connects with another calf kick. Rodrigues is struggling to find a home for his punches but nearly connects with a looping left hand.
Another left from Rodrigues lands and Cannonier swings away. Rodrigues connects with a kick to the body and Cannonier comes right back with a thudding inside leg kick. With less than a minute to go in the round, Cannonier clinches up, pushing Rodrigues across the Octagon and against the fence. Cannonier appears to be the fresher fighter and is content to spend the last few seconds of the round stalking and weighing on the already-gassed Rodrigues.
Round 3
Rodrigues opens the third round with a right hand that connects as Cannonier tries to advance. Rodrigues goes high with a head kick, but Cannonier blocks it. Cannonier keeps moving forward and Rodrigues sticks him with a jab. Rodrigues rips to the body twice and both fighters trade jabs in the center of the Octagon. Cannonier connects with a right hand and is finding success with the jab as we hit the halfway point of the round.
Rodrigues throws a one-two. Rodrigues is starting to wear the damage on his face, but he’s starting to let his hands go with 90 seconds to go. Rodrigues is holding his hands low, but he’s throwing with dangerous intent. Rodrigues lands a nice elbow that backs up Cannonier and he follows it up with a booming right hand. Rodrigues shoots for a single leg, but Cannonier shrugs it off easily.
Tied up in close, Cannonier lands a huge elbow that sits down Rodrigues. Cannonier delivers some vicious ground and pound strikes, but he can’t get the finish before the round comes to a close. Heading back to his corner, Rodrigues appears to be in back shape.
Round 4
Cannonier comes out swinging early and immediately starts to unload on Rodrigues against the fence. Cannonier catches ‘Robocop’ with a vicious right hand that sends Rodrigues crashing to the canvas. Before Cannonier can unleash any more punishment, referee Herb Dean steps in and calls for a stoppage just seconds into the penultimate round.
Official Result: Jared Cannonier def. Gregory Rodrigues via TKO (strikes) at 0:21 of Round 4.
Check Out Highlights From Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues at UFC Vegas 102:
Jared Cannonier vs Gregory Rodrigues 👊
Let’s do this!#UFCVegas102 | Live on ESPN & UFC Fight Pass pic.twitter.com/i4rmU6isGC
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) February 16, 2025
Gregory Rodrigues knocked down Jared Cannonier TWICE in the first round 😳 #UFCVegas102pic.twitter.com/PwBpwtI5Vy
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 16, 2025
Jared Cannonier, ganador por TKO ante Gregory Rodrigues en #UFCVegas102 pic.twitter.com/qQJhj74eyD
— ESPN Deportes (@ESPNDeportes) February 16, 2025
Answering the age old question: The Gorilla shuts down The Robot!
Jared Cannonier weathers the storm and survives and then put it on vs Gregory Rodrigues!
No judges needed, to close the show! x6#UFCVegas102pic.twitter.com/tLo6I5U2Mh
— Consensus Score (@ConsensusScore) February 16, 2025
IL A PROUVÉ QU’IL AVAIT TOUJOURS LE NIVEAU DANS CETTE CATÉGORIE !!! 🔥🔥
Jared Cannonier 🇺🇸 l’emporte par TKO au 4ᵉ round contre Gregory Rodrigues 🇧🇷 ! 💥#UFCVegas102pic.twitter.com/OXJFBoqOtN
— La Sueur (@LaSueur_off) February 16, 2025
