Robocop The Contender?

I don’t know how you can watch Gregory Rodrigues fight and not love “Robo Cop.”

The 32-year-old Barack Obama impersonator has only been on UFC’s roster for a little more than three years and nine fights, but he’s made an immediate impression as a wildly fun fighter. For better or worse, he only delivers dominant finishes or back-and-forth wars. A jiu-jitsu black belt with quality wrestling, Rodrigues loves nothing more than throwing down in the center of the Octagon.

Rodrigues’ kill-or-be-killed approach to combat sports has earned him a handful of performance bonuses and some fan adoration, but there are drawbacks as well. Most notably, he got absolutely blasted by a Brunno Ferreira overhand back in Jan. 2023 (watch it). Though “Hulk” is a deceptively crafty fighter, few expect any kind of title run from the brawler, and the loss seemed to solidify Rodrigues’ ceiling as an action fighter.

UFC Vegas 102 this weekend (Sat., Feb. 15, 2025) in Las Vegas — is a perfect opponent to find out. As it stands, Rodrigues is unranked, whereas “Killa Gorilla” is No. 7 in the world.

He’ll do more than merely break into the ranks if victorious.

just ask Marvin Vettori — and is capable of testing Rodrigues development.

If “Robocop” tries to brawl or fails to manage his gas tank, Cannonier will punish him in violent fashion. On the flip side, Rodrigues can prove with a victory that he’s mastered his own skill set. By mixing up all his technical abilities and pushing a pace without getting sloppy, he has the potential to skyrocket up the rankings and enter a new class of competition.

The Brazilian talent will always be worth watching, but at UFC Vegas 102, we find out if he’s developing into a serious title threat.

LIVE! Stream UFC Vegas 102 On ESPN+

MIDDLEWEIGHT MAYHEM! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heads back to its APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., Feb. 15, 2025, with an important 185-pound main event featuring former division title challenger, Jared Cannonier, taking on Brazilian knockout artist, Gregory Rodrigues. In addition, well-traveled “Boston Finisher,” Calvin Kattar, looks to derail the hype train of “Moroccan Devil,” Youssef Zalal, in UFC 102’s hard-hitting co-headliner.

Don’t miss a single second of face-punching action!

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 102 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 7 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 102: “Cannonier vs. Robo Cop” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.