Anthony Hernandez has one goal in mind: Get his hands on the UFC middleweight title. The next step for the surging middleweight is a victory in his first promotional main event this weekend.
Hernandez faces Michel Pereira in the headliner of UFC Vegas 99 at the APEX this Saturday. “Fluffy” enters the bout on a five-fight win streak, and believes a victory will send a message to Dana White and company that he’s ready to fight the tippy-top guys at 185 pounds. Eventually, he’d like to make his way to a title fight with current champion Dricus du Plessis, not just for the chance to accomplish his goal, but because of the stylistic matchup it can produce for the fans.
“He mixes it up, you know what I mean,” Hernandez told MMA Fighting. He’s a big, strong motherf*cker but he mixes MMA up very well, and I think it would be a f*cking great fight with him. He’s a tough motherf*cker. He’s got a chin, he can hit. Like, he hits people and puts them to sleep. You know what I mean? It’s an exciting fight to me. That would be f*cking fun.
“And he’s just doing his thing, good on him. I’ll see you soon.”
After losing to Kevin Holland at UFC Jacksonville in May 2020, Hernandez has done nothing but win. But he also learned a valuable lesson in the loss to Holland in that he won’t compete unless he’s as close to 100-percent healthy.
The 30-year-old certainly feels as healthy as he’s ever been as he prepares to face Pereira, who is now 2-0 with a pair of quick finishes since making the move up to middleweight. To say Hernandez was excited to face somebody like Pereira would be a massive understatement.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, the f*cking wild guy, the guy who does backflips,” Hernandez said. “I really don’t watch f*cking fighting that much, but I know who he was because that motherf*cker, he’s dope to watch, I’m not gonna lie. He f*cking does backflips and shit. I’m like, ‘Bro, I can’t do none of that shit.’ Motherf*cker is like a f*cking freak athlete, all like backflips and like all that fancy shit.
“But now I’m f*cking stoked. This is one of those fights where I see Fight of the Night all over it because we’re both some tough motherf*ckers. We both can take a shot and we’re both f*cking pretty violent, you know what I mean? So I’m f*cking stoked for this fight. It’s going to be a f*cking big test and I’m looking forward to showing you guys how I do that shit.”
Hernandez is known for his finishing ability, a fan-friendly style, but also the incredible pace he puts on his opponents. He plans on doing the same thing to Pereira
“I think my style is perfect to beat him,” Hernandez explained. “I just have to have my hands up and not get caught with no crazy shit. I mean, he’s f*cking wild. He’s calmed down a lot... I’ve noticed he’s, he knocked the last two 185 [pounders] out with just straight rights.
“So yeah, I don’t plan on standing in front of him in the distance. I plan on fighting this motherf*cker and taking it to him. I know that he has like wild, f*cking crazy two rounds, but I’m in shape for 10 so I can keep that pace for all five.
“I hope he’s in shape, that’s all I’ve got to say.”
