Anthony Hernandez is a darkish horse of the UFC’s middleweight division. He’s taking up Michel Pereira this weekend in the principle occasion of UFC Vegas 99. Ranked thirteenth within the division, Hernandez is a terrifying combat for anybody ranked forward of him. Michel Pereira is accepting this problem and will likely be no straightforward activity.
Will “Fluffy” get to the highest and problem Dricus Du Plessis? How did he get right here and grow to be considered one of 185’s most averted fighters?
Fights missed by Anthony Hernandez
Going by Anthony Hernandez’ Tapology web page, an observer will see an enormous quantity of fights which have fallen by for varied causes. Albert Duraev withdrew in 2022. Dricus Du Plessis was to occur that 12 months and Du Plessis was rebooked to combat Kelvin Gastelum on the identical card. Moreover, Chris Curtis pulled out in 2023 and Ikram Aliskerov in 2024.
To be utterly truthful, Hernandez has pulled out of his fair proportion of fights since becoming a member of the UFC: 5 in whole. However when he does get a combat, Hernandez is spectacular.
Now on a 5 combat successful streak, Hernandez has come a great distance from his two losses to Markus Perez and Kevin Holland. After successful towards Rodolfo Vieira in 2021, it was foot on the gasoline. Vieira, Josh Fremd, Marc-Andre Barriault and Eden Shahbazyan have been all lined up and fell to Hernandez.
However these have been nothing in comparison with his current win…
The massive declare to the division
In February of 2024, Anthony Hernandez had his profession finest win. He confronted the ever powerful Roman Kopylov at UFC 298. After a troublesome, however manageable, first spherical, Hernandez’ tempo and stress rapidly broke down Roman Kopylov. Hernandez received the combat to the bottom, received to the again, and choked out the Russian contender and claimed his spot at 185’s high 15.
Kopylov was on a 4 combat successful streak and solely had two losses earlier than that combat. This put Hernandez on the present collision course we see at present with Michel Pereira.
In fact, Pereira is a cardio legal responsibility. As explosive as he’s, “Demolidor” tends to fade late in fights, precisely when Hernandez shines. Being his first 5 spherical combat within the UFC, followers have to like Anthony Hernandez’ possibilities going into UFC Vegas 99 this weekend.
Ought to Hernandez be capable to keep away from the early explosions, get the combat to the bottom early, and tire Pereira out, he might get an emphatic win by which he can actually shine. Michel Pereira is well-known amongst MMA followers as a result of his thrilling model. Placing him in a most important occasion with Hernandez will give Hernandez a brand new degree of platform to do what he does finest.
