Gregory Rodrigues put on a striking masterclass at UFC 322, earning an impressive victory over Roman Kopylov.
Both fighters came out trading heavy hands early, but it was the power of Rodrigues that dominated the first round. Mixing in a couple of takedown attempts, ‘Robocop’ appeared to have a clear advantage over the Russian standout.
Rodrigues went right back to the takedowns in the second, nearly locking in a heel hook.
Kopylov managed to fend off the hold, forcing Rodrigues to return to his feet. Once upright, Rodrigues put pressure on his opponent, leaving Kopylov hesitant to act.
By the time we reached the halfway point of the fight, Kopylov was starting to wear the damage on his face and biting on every one of Rodrigues’ feints.
With Kopylov potentially needing a finish, he finally started to stand his ground in the Octagon. He found early success in the third, clipping Rodrigues with a left hand that had ‘Robocop’ on wobbly legs.
Kopylov largely controlled the round, putting a fatiguing Rodrigues on his back foot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to mitigate the dominance Rodrigues delivered in the first 10 minutes.
Official Result: Gregory Rodrigues def. Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
Check Out Highlights From Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues at UFC 322:
