UFC is finally rolling back into Sacramento on Saturday, Aug. 22, bringing local middleweight standout Anthony Hernandez into a high-stakes main event against Gregory Rodrigues at the Golden 1 Center. Sharing the spotlight is a marquee light heavyweight clash between Roman Dolidze and Reinier de Ridder, plus a deep undercard stacked with contenders from several divisions. Prelims are scheduled to start at 2 p.m. PT, with the main card kicking off at 5 p.m. PT. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 10 at 10 a.m. PT.
Tickets and presales
According to UFC, tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster, with buyers limited to eight seats per person and the general on-sale set for Friday, July 10 at 10 a.m. PT. Fans who want to beat the rush can tap into presales: UFC Fight Club members get first crack on Wednesday, July 8 at 10 a.m. PT, and newsletter subscribers have a special Internet presale beginning Thursday, July 9 at 10 a.m. PT, according to Ticketmaster.
What’s at stake
Hernandez, a top-six middleweight fighting out of Dunnigan, is looking to get back on track in front of a home-state crowd, while Rodrigues, who comes in on a three-fight win streak, is chasing his shot at the division’s upper tier, MMA Mania reports. A victory for either man could earn a higher-profile matchup next and help shuffle the middleweight rankings. With Hernandez representing nearby roots, local fans will have a clear favorite to rally behind.
Card highlights
The co-main event features Roman Dolidze taking on Reinier de Ridder, while heavyweight action comes from Serghei Spivac vs. Vitor Petrino and a power-punching matchup between Kennedy Nzechukwu and Shamil Gaziev. On the prelims, rising talents Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves and Shanelle Dyer vs. Elise Reed add some prospect intrigue, offering a mix of established names and hungry newcomers, according to FightBookMMA. The promotion has posted the full lineup and broadcast details.
Why Sacramento cares
This will be the city’s first UFC Fight Night since 2019; the last Golden 1 Center card drew more than 10,000 fans and a gate north of $900,000, according to The Sacramento Bee. The event will stream on Paramount+, so even fans who miss out on tickets can still catch the fights. If history is any guide, downtown Sacramento should be buzzing once the lineup is locked in and fight night arrives.
