Gregory Rodrigues not worried about critics of second Jack Hermansson punch at UFC 317
LAS VEGAS – Gregory Rodrigues met with MMA Junkie and other media members Saturday after his brutal first-round knockout win over Jack Hermansson at UFC 317.
Rodrigues (17-6 MMA, 8-3 UFC) knocked out Hermansson (24-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) to close out the prelims at T-Mobile Arena. Hermansson clearly was out from one punch. When referee Herb Dean didn't get there before Hermansson hit the canvas, Rodrigues let loose with a hammer fist to an already-out Hermansson just as Dean started to pull him away.
Hermansson remained out on the canvas for several minutes afterward and had to be under medical observation for more than an hour as a precaution from the knockout. Rodrigues said the punch was just part of the job and nothing egregious.
'First of all, I don't care what the people think,' Rodrigues said of the insta-reaction to the late hit at his post-fight news conference. 'When you go inside the cage, we signed the contract, we're able to do everything. If it was on the other side, and he did the same, why am I going to be mad with him? He did his job. I hope he's OK. He's a warrior like me. But I'm not going to stop until the ref says to stop. I just did my job. That's what I do. That's what he does. It is what it is. It was my night.'
Rodrigues won his second straight post-fight bonus for the knockout. In February, he headlined a card against former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier and was stopped early in the fourth round. But the TKO setback still got Fight of the Night honors.
The fight against Cannonier was a step up in competition for Rodrigues on the heels of a three-fight winning streak, and he came up short. So the win over Hermansson now stands as arguably the biggest of his career, and certainly against his most accomplished opponent to date.
Check out Rodrigues' post-fight interview in the video below.
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