Gregory Rodrigues proved to be too big of a step up for Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC 304.
Rodrigues (16-5 MMA, 7-2 UFC) landed heavy blows and multiple takedowns on Duncan (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) to win a unanimous decision on Saturday. The middleweight bout was part of the UFC 304 main card at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
In Round 1, Rodrigues charged with a flurry and connected early. He kept Duncan on the backfoot. Duncan landed a leg kick, followed by a body kick, but Rodrigues proceeded to take him down. Duncan tried to reverse, but Rodrigues maintained firm control to outgrapple him in the opening five minutes.
Rodrigues landed big shots to kick off Round 2, prompting Duncan to initiate the grappling. They exchanged positions in the clinch before Rodrigues landed an uppercut on the break. Rodrigues went back to the clinch, but struggled to take Duncan down. The referee broke up the position as the pair started phone-booth brawling. A Rodrigues knee caused a big hematoma on Duncan’s head as he took him down at the end of the round.
Duncan attempted multiple spinning back elbows but was taken down early in Round 3. He returned to his feet quickly and started working for his own takedown. The pair clinched against the cage until Rodrigues got his hooks in for a rear-naked choke attempt.
It's heating up between Christian Leroy Duncan and Gregory Rodrigues!
#UFC304 pic.twitter.com/Bghhwr2Lrs
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 28, 2024
Rodrigues, who stepped in on short notice, called for a ranked opponent next. “Robocop” has now won three straight, and five of his past six fights.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 304 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.
