The UFC has completed the Sacramento fight card with a group of bouts that adds short-notice changes, promotional debuts and several fighters carrying recent momentum into August 22. The event marks the Octagon’s first return to Sacramento since July 2019, with Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez and Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues scheduled to headline at middleweight. The additional contests give the card a wider competitive shape before the 185-pound main event, particularly through lightweight and featherweight pairings involving athletes at notably different points in their UFC runs.
The most immediate changes involve two replacements. At lightweight, Gauge Young will meet Stan Dorsainvil after Dorsainvil stepped in for the injured Kody Steele. Young enters following consecutive 2026 wins over Maheshate and Thiago Moises, and a victory over Dorsainvil would make it three straight. Dorsainvil arrives undefeated at 5-0 after a third-round submission victory at LFA. At featherweight, Mauricio Barbosa now faces Ryan Kuse, who replaces the injured Danny Silva. Barbosa began his Octagon career with a first-round knockout of Dennis Buzukja in April and brings an overall five-fight winning streak into the matchup. Kuse makes his Octagon debut with a 9-2 record that includes six knockout wins.
Sacramento card builds depth through form
The UFC also placed two lightweight contests on the Sacramento schedule that connect recent UFC results directly to the next opportunity. Chris “Taco” Padilla faces Nasrat Haqparast after Padilla’s draw with MarQuel Mederos at UFC 327 halted a four-fight winning streak. Padilla remains unbeaten through five fights, making the bout a chance to turn an unresolved result into renewed progress. Haqparast will make his first appearance of the year. He had carried a five-fight winning streak into his UFC 321 meeting with Quillan Salkilld, but suffered a knockout loss to the Australian and now seeks to get back on track.
Mederos is also back for his first walk since the Padilla draw, opposing Wales’ Mason Jones. Before that draw, Mederos had won his first three Octagon fights. Jones enters with three consecutive wins since returning to the promotion in 2025, most recently earning a decision over Axel Sola that received Fight of the Night honors. Elsewhere at featherweight, Jamall Emmers meets Lerryan Douglas. Emmers returns for his first fight of the year after victories over Gabriel Miranda and Hyder Amil in 2025. Douglas, meanwhile, knocked out Julian Erosa in his March debut, extending his overall winning streak to six. These matchups matter because the card does not rely only on the headline: each places recent momentum, a comeback effort or an early promotional opportunity in a defined next contest.
New additions create debut opportunities
The UFC finishes the announced additions with a heavyweight promotional-debut matchup between Anthony Wint and Terrance Chatman. Wint is a former NFL player and DWCS alumnus who earned his contract with a 34-second knockout on the first episode of the 10th DWCS season. Chatman also enters for his promotional debut after a TKO victory via leg kicks at Fury FC last month. The pairing gives both newcomers a direct opening on the same Sacramento card, while the other additions mix established UFC competitors with fighters making their first Octagon appearances. UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Rodrigues takes place at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, on August 22, 2026. The prelims begin at 5 p.m. ET and 2 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT. The full event is scheduled to stream live on Paramount+.
- Gauge Young vs Stan Dorsainvil: Dorsainvil replaces the injured Kody Steele, while Young seeks a third straight 2026 win.
- Mauricio Barbosa vs Ryan Kuse: Kuse replaces the injured Danny Silva in a featherweight bout featuring Barbosa’s five-fight overall winning streak.
| Matchup | Confirmed context |
|---|---|
| Chris Padilla vs Nasrat Haqparast | Padilla is unbeaten through five fights; Haqparast makes his first appearance of the year after his UFC 321 loss to Quillan Salkilld. |
| MarQuel Mederos vs Mason Jones | Mederos returns after drawing Padilla, while Jones has won three straight since returning in 2025. |
| Anthony Wint vs Terrance Chatman | Both heavyweights make promotional debuts after recent contract-earning or regional victories. |
The completed lineup gives Sacramento a completed set of supporting bouts around Hernandez vs Rodrigues without losing the specifics that define each pairing. Replacements Dorsainvil and Kuse receive immediate assignments, Padilla, Haqparast, Mederos and Jones bring clear recent results into their meetings, and Wint and Chatman receive their first promotional appearances. The resulting card is scheduled for August 22 in Sacramento.
Sources: UFC.com
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