Luis Hernandez has been a part of a viral second up to now, however it doesn’t examine to what occurred on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Hernandez improved to 6-0 at Tuff-N-Uff 145 with a second-round submission victory over Miles Hunsinger in a middleweight bout. Within the ultimate moments of the bout, Hernandez has a guillotine locked up, then seems to be at Hunsinger’s nook, says one thing and stands out his tongue. From there, Hernandez cranks on the submission and finally will get the faucet, which led to Hernandez celebrating with the D-Era X crotch chop at Hunsinger cornermen Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis.
Each Strickland and Curtis entered the cage and charged in direction of Hernandez, with Strickland throwing punches. The second has since exploded throughout social media. Hernandez says issues have been brewing from the walkouts to the cage.
“So after I noticed them strolling out from their nook, I don’t need to go too loopy on particulars, however I observed they checked out me and so they laughed,” Hernandez advised MMA Combating. “They stated one thing, I feel he stated one thing to one of many different nook males — I do know it’s like three of them — they stated one thing and so they began laughing at me. And I used to be like, man, I’m not a joke. I consider I’m the true deal. I’ve obtained 11 fights, six professional combat finishes now and 5 finishes in newbie.
“So that they [were] in all probability [thinking], ‘Oh yeah, this man’s a cop,’ and so they checked out me and I noticed them laughing and I used to be like, ‘Oh, OK, you’re going to chortle at me? I’m going to get the final chortle.’ And a few issues have been stated… I’m attempting to recollect every thing now, however I used to be having a good time. I simply wished to have enjoyable. When the entire second occurred itself, you see me laughing. I need to present that there’s two sides: I’ve my profession, after which contained in the cage, I’m capable of have enjoyable. That is actually enjoyable for me. I get pleasure from it. That is my ardour.
“At work, I’m knowledgeable being in legislation enforcement, and I’ve to do every thing by the guide. Within the cage, I can have enjoyable. It’s like I get to flip the change, get pleasure from myself, and I actually suppose issues escalated. I didn’t anticipate that in any respect. You see me, I’m laughing. I didn’t anticipate what occurred to occur. I used to be like, ‘OK, I suppose that is taking place.’”
Hernandez was requested why he first caught his tongue out at Strickland and speaking within the former UFC middleweight champion’s path earlier than the incident went overboard. “The Stache” says it stemmed from a remark Strickland made in that second.
“I consider I heard, ‘Oh, he’s drained, his arms are going to blow out,’ and I’m like, ‘No, I’m not,’ [then] blow the kiss and I did the tongue,” Hernandez stated. “I used to be simply so prepared. I feel lots of people see me and so they’re confused and [don’t know] what I’m able to. I consider I’m the true deal, and I used to be like capable of present it.
“I heard them saying little issues, and I used to be targeted. Miles is a hell of an opponent, man. I really respect him. The man was in The Final Fighter home, 7-1, and he took this combat on brief discover as a result of I’ve been having points getting opponents, and this was an amazing expertise, and I actually had, like I stated, a good time with the sticking the tongue out. I didn’t suppose he was going to take it that private, as a result of I’m fairly positive he does lots of speaking within the cage.”
After enhancing his report to 6-0 and celebrating the victory in Strickland and Curtis’ path, the viral second occurred with Strickland storming the cage and throwing punches. Referee Chris Tognoni pulled Strickland away, whereas Curtis maintained a collar-tie. Hernandez says Curtis advised him, ‘Don’t do this’ earlier than pushing Curtis away.
However seeing Strickland heading his method so angrily was not on Hernandez’s bingo card.
“I used to be like, ‘What’s occurring right here? Is that this a actuality TV present?,’” Hernandez defined. “I felt like I used to be virtually in, you understand how they’ve the Russian [version of] TUF? You know the way on the Russian TUF folks simply begin combating? I used to be like, ‘What’s occurring right here?’ I used to be like, rattling.
“I truly like Sean Strickland. I wasn’t anticipating it to escalate to that stage in any respect, as a result of I’m like, man, I hope he is aware of I’m knowledgeable fighter, however I’m a cop, too. You’re swinging on anyone for I don’t know what purpose. It was one thing I wasn’t anticipating in any respect. … There’s some angles [of the punches] and I stated it [in the post-fight interview], he hit me and I’m nonetheless standing. I’m nonetheless smiling, nonetheless look good. These [marks on my face] are literally from Miles. Perhaps one among these might need been from Strickland, however I wasn’t anticipating that in any respect. If this was a sanctioned bout, we will do it. I’ll do it for cash.
“If me and Strickland need to combat for cash, I’ll do it for cash. I wasn’t anticipating an unsanctioned combat, but when this might be a matchup sooner or later, most positively I’ll do it, one hundred pc.”
Hernandez isn’t just a professional fighter, he’s in a particular tactical response unit for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Division. It’s the aim of the 28-year-old up and comer to grow to be a profitable fighter within the UFC’s welterweight division, and preserve his function as a police officer on the identical time.
Whereas being a part of a highly-viewed second involving one of many most-known UFC fighters will definitely acquire the kind of consideration the UFC seems to be for, Hernandez doesn’t need that to return on the expense at Strickland and Curtis’ combating careers, and hopes the Nevada Athletic Fee gained’t punish both fighter.
“I feel issues escalated to a degree the place they shouldn’t have as a result of I don’t need something to occur to those guys,” Hernandez stated. “These guys are skilled fighters similar to I’m. I’ve a profession, they’ve their careers, and I’d say [it’s] squashed on my finish. I’ve no bias towards anyone from that nook, that staff. That’s an amazing staff. Xtreme Couture is a good staff. I’m nonetheless right here in Vegas, I used to be like, ‘Hey, perhaps I may go practice there,’ now, I don’t suppose a lot.
“However yeah, I actually don’t have anything in direction of them, and hope the fee doesn’t… like they even requested me, ‘Hey, you’re gonna press prices?’ I’m like, ‘What? No.’ I’d by no means need something to occur to those guys as a result of I truly like them, and I hope they watch this. I’ve nothing towards Sean, nothing towards Chris, nothing towards Xtreme Couture. I like these guys. …
“I’d say we’re all adults right here, and I’ve nothing towards them, and I’ll say this once more: I hope the fee doesn’t take this out on them in any respect as a result of, on the finish of the day, we’re all professionals and that is leisure.”
