Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez: Absolute Dominance and UFC Title Aspirations
Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez demonstrated his determination to become a UFC champion with a dominant performance last Saturday. Hernández (15-2) submitted Roman Dolidze (15-4), number 9 in the middleweight ranking, with a rear-naked choke at 2:45 of the fourth round at the UFC Fight Night held in Las Vegas. With this victory, he extended his winning streak to eight fights and immediately requested a title opportunity against the winner of the next fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago.The finish came after Hernandez hurt Dolidze with a short right hand and an elbow, followed by knees to the head while Dolidze was defending himself along the cage. Dolidze appeared to be on the verge of a knockout from the blows, and Hernandez rotated around his body to secure the rear-naked choke from a standing position. This is his ninth submission finish, although the outcome was largely due to the strikes, something Hernandez had wanted to showcase in this fight. According to UFC statistics, Hernandez outstruck Dolidze in total strikes with 108-47 and completed 9 of 11 takedowns. Dolidze’s corner indicated that he had lost the first three rounds, urging him to seek the finish. However, the 37-year-old fighter was outmatched in all aspects, showing signs of physical and mental exhaustion at the time of the submission. This is Dolidze’s first loss since February 2024 and the first time he has been finished in his MMA career. Training at MMA Gold in California, Hernandez has defeated opponents of the likes of Dolidze, Brendan Allen and Michel Pereira in his last three fights. Before Saturday’s fight, he was ranked number 10 in the division.I wanted to stand out in this fight. I want a title shot. What do I have to do? This is all I know, violence and war. Give me a title shot and I promise I’ll be the next champion.
Anthony “Fluffy” Hernández
