Anthony Hernandez proposed making a middleweight BMF championship. He is likely to be onto one thing. “Fluffy” Hernandez seemed just like the baddest man at 185 kilos after battering Roman Dolidze at UFC Struggle Evening on Saturday.
Hernandez has a status for breaking folks. Dolidze was not exempt from that destiny. Hernandez walked down Dolidze from the primary bell: touchdown strikes, throwing him to the ground and taunting him. Dolidze’s energy and grappling did nothing to discourage Hernandez. Dolidze’s energy saved him aggressive in Spherical 1, however his stamina plummeted underneath Hernandez’s sustained stress.
Hernandez unleashed a hailstorm of floor punches within the ultimate seconds of Spherical 2. Referee Herb Dean intervened as soon as the spherical ended, however each events thought the battle was over. Hernandez, targeted on his mission, didn’t protest the decision. He stopped celebrating and began receiving teaching.
Dolidze’s waning resistance ran out in Spherical 4 as Hernandez locked up a rear-naked choke submission. Hernandez grew to become the primary man to cease Dolidze in practically 20 fights, a feat that not even Nassourdine Imavov — the No. 1-ranked middleweight who knocked out Israel Adesanya — has managed.
“Fluffy” is certainly one of UFC’s most underappreciated success tales. Hernandez misplaced two of his first three UFC fights earlier than embarking on an eight-fight win streak. The primary trace of his rebellious new preventing type got here after he submitted Rodolfo Vieira, thought to be arguably the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu heavyweight of his technology.
Hernandez’s rise has been disrespectfully gradual. Earlier than Saturday, no middleweight wanted greater than seven consecutive wins to problem for the UFC title. In opposition to Dolidze (No. 9), Hernandez was solely afforded the prospect to battle somebody ranked one spot above him. Against this, Reinier de Ridder is a top-five middleweight after beating Robert Whittaker in his fourth UFC look.
“I desire a title shot. What the f— do I’ve to do?” Hernandez mentioned in his post-fight interview. “Give me the title shot and I promise I will be the subsequent champ.
“I desire a belt. I need one thing to show I am one of the best fighter on the earth.”