On the Doorstep to Relevance

Gregory Rodrigues has not yet shed the prospect label completely. Perhaps he can do so by passing one more test in the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight division.

The former Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder will lock horns with Chidi Njokuani in the UFC Fight Night 210 co-headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where the victor figures to have a claim on a Top 15 ranking at 185 pounds. Rodrigues owns a 3-1 record inside the Octagon, his wins over Julian Marquez, Jun Yong Park and Dusko Todorovic sandwiched around a split decision defeat to Armen Petrosyan. The failed encounter with Petrosyan reminded the Brazilian to strike a balance between humility and resilience.

“After losses, we always make better reassessments,” Rodrigues told Sherdog.com. “Any setback can become a positive. The lessons learned make it hard to see those situations as losses. I made some adjustments and changed my physical preparation.”

Those tweaks paid off in his first-round knockout of Marquez at UFC on ESPN 37 in June, where Rodrigues needed a little more than three minutes to put away the rugged Glory MMA rep with punches. The degree of difficulty figures to rise with Njokuani, a man who has not tasted defeat in nearly 1,200 days.

“The UFC gave me a great opponent,” Rodrigues said. “It’s a good fight for me. I’m very happy with my career at the moment and with everything that’s happening in the UFC. I have visibility. They like my work and always offer me new fights. I’m happy with what I’ve conquered thus far. This is only the start.”

Njokuani enters the cage on the strength of a four-fight winning streak, with all four victories resulting in finishes. The 33-year-old former Tachi Palace Fights champion last appeared at UFC Fight Night 206, where he blew up the aforementioned Todorovic with a first-round elbow strike on May 21.

“Chidi is someone who’s in my way,” Rodrigues said. “It’s a fight I want. When my manager mentioned him, I didn’t think twice. I accepted immediately. I want to be among the best. My plan is to be champion. I have to run over whoever is standing between me and my objectives.” Rodrigues respects the Dallas native’s skills.

“He’s a long fighter. We’re about the same height, but he has a longer reach,” the Dana White’s Contender Series alum said. “He’s agile, moves well and has scored good knockouts in his career. However, I’m in constant evolution. I’m convinced of my qualities. I know what I can do. There’s a lot I haven’t yet shown in the UFC. This next fight will be a chance for me to show why I’m here and how dangerous I am in this weight class.”

Rodrigues believes a win over Njokuani, particularly a decisive one, could force the hand of UFC decision makers. Regardless, he designs plans one step at a time.

“I always aim to climb up as much as I can.” Rodrigues said. “If the UFC feels I deserve someone in the Top 15 next time around, that’d be great. I love challenges, and I like the UFC’s matchmaking. If they feel it’s time to get me a ranked opponent, I’ll be ready.”