GREGORY RODRIGUES WHEELCHAIR AFTER UFC SACRAMENTO DECISION WIN

Gregory Rodrigues required a wheelchair to leave the Octagon following his decision victory over Anthony Hernandez in a middleweight bout at the UFC's Sacramento card in California. Video footage showed the Brazilian fighter limping toward a walking boot and using railings for support before being taken away in the wheelchair. Rodrigues later appeared in the wheelchair during the Paramount+ post-fight show. The 34-year-old did not publicly disclose the exact nature of his injury immediately after the bout.

Of the 13 fights on the Sacramento card, 10 ended inside the distance. Rodrigues' own relentless leg-kicking attack may have contributed to his mobility issues, according to reports. Official figures recorded by ESPN Stats showed Rodrigues landed 24 of 26 leg kicks against Hernandez throughout their contest. If Hernandez checked at least 10 of those strikes, such a volume could result in severe pain and damage. The sight of Rodrigues requiring a wheelchair was particularly notable given that Hernandez did not appear to target his opponent's legs with kicks.

This is the first time the Brazilian fighter has had to be escorted out in a wheelchair following a UFC bout, despite his lengthy history competing against top-level opposition. A similar incident occurred at UFC Paris the previous year, when Kaui Fernandes' leg kicks resulted in his opponent Harry Hardwick being taken out of the Accor Arena in a wheelchair following a first-round TKO victory.