Gregory Rodrigues addresses concerns about training with Brendan Allen ahead of UFC Sacramento fight
UFC Sacramento headliner Gregory Rodrigues has addressed the speculation surrounding his training with a potential future opponent in Brendan Allen.
Gregory Rodrigues has opened up about whether he'd fight his training partner Brendan Allen.
"Robocop" and Allen are both staples of the UFC middleweight division. Certain sections of the MMA community have questioned how long their bond as training partners is likely to last, as a clash between them seems imminent, given their respective ascents toward 185-pound gold.
Currently, Rodrigues is scheduled to fight Anthony Hernandez, with their middleweight matchup serving as the main event for UFC Sacramento in Sacramento, California, on August 22.
Gregory Rodrigues clears the air on training with and potentially fighting against Brendan Allen
During a recent conversation with Full Send MMA, Gregory Rodrigues shed light on his preparations for the fight, including his training with America's Brendan Allen.
Rodrigues trains at Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield, Florida. Meanwhile, Allen splits his time between multiple gyms, notably working alongside Rodrigues at Kill Cliff FC as well. The 34-year-old, on his part, suggested that they're unlikely to clash in a professional MMA matchup unless it's for a world title or a No. 1 contender spot.
Rodrigues stated, "I'm not gonna -- we have a deal, me and Brendan. We're gonna fight for the gold, or for being the No. 1 contender."
Moreover, he indicated that some of their respective family members know each other, alluding to their camaraderie as training partners. Rodrigues underlined that he wouldn't call out his friends and training partners for a professional fight without a valid reason, such as a title fight or a top contender spot opportunity.
He said, "I have no problem to fight my friends, like, the guys who I train with. But if that really makes sense, we're gonna fight, definitely."
The fearsome KO artist signaled that they'll need to ascend to the top spot first and would later decide about their potential clash. He explained:
"But I don't think this fight is gonna happen right now. And we're gonna take our time, and I'm gonna still do my job. And when the time comes, we're gonna figure out what we're gonna do."
Watch Gregory Rodrigues address the possibility of a showdown between him and Brendan Allen inside the Octagon below:
Gregory Rodrigues says he has a deal with Brendan Allen that they will only fight each other if it’s for a number one contender’s spot
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) August 19, 2026
“If it really makes sense we’re gonna fight but I’m not gonna call out my friends and training partners for no reason” pic.twitter.com/4iq43hpVpg
Gregory Rodrigues is on the cusp of earning a top-five opponent by beating Anthony Hernandez at UFC Sacramento
Presently, Gregory Rodrigues stands at the No. 10 spot in the UFC middleweight division, per the official Meta UFC rankings. His opponent, Anthony Hernandez, holds the No. 7 position on the list. Meanwhile, Rodrigues's training partner Brendan Allen is at No. 5.
Considering the variables at play, the consensus is that a victory for Rodrigues over Hernandez could earn him a fight against a top-five-ranked opponent next.
Intriguingly, Hernandez is coming off a TKO defeat against Sean Strickland, whom he faced earlier this year. Strickland subsequently beat Khamzat Chimaev in May and recaptured the UFC middleweight championship.
While "Fluffy" would be attempting to rebuild his momentum after his eight-fight win streak was viciously ended by Strickland, Rodrigues boasts a three-fight win streak. Since a TKO defeat against Jared Cannonier early last year, he rebounded by knocking out Jack Hermansson and outpointing Roman Kopylov.
Furthermore, Rodrigues's most recent fight saw him stop Brunno Ferreira by way of first-round KO this March, helping him avenge a KO loss against Ferreira from 2023.
