Middleweight Gregory Rodrigues wants to put on an impressive performance at UFC Vegas 49.
UFC middleweight Gregory Rodrigues was able to put in four fights last year, and hopes to do the same in 2022. For his first pairing, the Brazilian will square off against newcomer Armen Petrosyan, in a contest about which ‘Robocop’ feels confident, no matter where it may go.
In an interview with Super Lutas, Rodrigues gave some insight into his training camp at Sanford MMA. Although Gregory and Petrosyan are both known for their hands, the Brazilian claims he is ready to even take the fight to the ground, if need be.
“My opponent is a tough guy,” Rodrigues said. “We studied him a lot. He’s a striker and he had a great showing on Contender Series. He deserves to be in the UFC. However, I’m also aware of my own qualities and I’m ready for everything. My striking and my self-confidence have developed greatly. I started out as a jiu-jitsu guy, actually. I trained that part really hard. I’d like to thank my buddy Vagner Rocha, he’s the one who’s been helping me train my ground skills. I’m ready for anything, I’m ready for war. My hands are sharp, my takedown game is on point. No matter where the fight takes place, you better believe it I’ll be ready.”
Currently on a two-fight winning streak in the Octagon, Rodrigues (11-3) defeat Jun Yong Park and Dusko Todorovic, respectively in October and June of 2021. The 30-year-old’s last loss happened on Contender Series, when he got knocked out by Jordan Williams, back in September 2020.
Now, Rodrigues is expected to meet Petrosyan at UFC Vegas 49, on February 26, at the UFC Apex. The card is scheduled to be headlined by a lightweight bout between Islam Makhachev and short-notice replacement Bobby Green.