January 5, 2026 • 7 mins
Taking the Middleweight division by storm, having won 8 consecutive fights dating back to February of 2021, Anthony Hernandez joins the Morning Drive ahead of his UFC Fight Night set here in Houston at the Toyota Center. Squaring off against former middleweight champion Sean Strickland on the 21st of February, Anthony takes a moment to walk through his journey from past fights, leading to next month's main event, followed by what he looks to gain coming out of next month's duel.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The UFC Fight Night two sixty eight coming up in February,
(00:03):
and our special guests in studio right now, Anthony Fluffy
Hernandez hopping in with us right now.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Here on the Morning Drive.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And I gotta know, I mean, because you don't look fluffy,
Like where where does that nickname come from?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
A little fat kid growing up?
Speaker 4 (00:18):
Okay, I was like fifteen, like two forty, yeah, in
that range fighting a heavyweight, fighting grown men as a kid,
and then it just kind of stuck because I was
a little fat kid and I just ran with it.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
So you know, as a guy who's trying to become O.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
You uh now that what helps is like I have
to make weight and I get paid for it, right,
So like if I didn't have that, I don't know
if I probably fat again, to be honest, you know
what I mean, Yeah, comfortable, but I don't know. This
keeps me like in shape, so it's good for me.
That's why, like I originally got into it was to
get in shape and to like some anger out, you know,
(00:51):
and it worked out.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So I mean, you know, it's one of those things
is you know, me and you were talking before you
hopped on with us and I listened to Rogan a lot.
I think a lot of people, you know, listen to them.
Now you kind of feel like, you know, oh, hey,
I know a lot more. It's like, I probably don't
know half of what I do. But one of the
things that he talked about was a Mike Tyson quote
that he talked about where if I'm not nervous going
(01:14):
to the ring, then I'm in the wrong business.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I mean, when you.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Make that walk out of the locker room, you're going
to the octagon, Like, what's that feeling like?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Turning back?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Then?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You know what I mean? So it's a rush, but
I love it, you.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Know, Anthony Hernandez again hopping in with us here on
the Morning Drive. I mean when it comes to camp,
I mean, that's that's a thing that I think, you know,
because obviously the fights themselves, people see that and they
don't realize the work that goes in. But like, are
you a guy in your team, Like do you guys
train for where you want the camp to be harder
(01:48):
than what you think the fight's going to be.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I mean I train hard all the time, to be honest. Like,
there's people that have like seasons that they train in
and those people that just train all the time. I'm
one of those people that train all the time, and
I train artists. It's all I'm good at unfortunately. But yeah, no,
I'd like I just I'm always in the gym, so
nothing really changes for me ever, So.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
I mean when it comes to that, I mean I've
heard a lot of guys. You know, we'll go about
it in different ways. I Mean some will say, hey,
like family, everybody, you gotta take it for now, like
we gotta focus on this fight.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Get to you when I can get to you. But like,
you know, how do you approach it?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I mean, does it you shut everybody out and you're
getting ready for the fight or is it just kind
of just go about your life just a normal routine.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
This is normal routine, man, This is like what I do,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
But like as far as like my kids and stuff,
I see them pretty often, but like family, family, I
really don't see that many people that often. I've been like,
I've been training since I was like fifteen, so like
there's literally just been gym in fight for like since
I was a kid. And I'm freaking thirty three now,
so I've just been stuck in that groove, trying to
make it. So we're finally getting to the top and
(02:58):
I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So I mean your opponent, Sean Strickland, I mean, I
think a lot of UFCU fans know a good amount
about them.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I mean, do you know him at all?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Like it is in one of those things because like
it's funny, yeah, because like I remembered a few years ago,
I had talked with hille Son and he fought Brian
Stan like a literal war hero. And you know, and
I know that some people you go with a different edge,
like even if it's somebody that you know, and you like,
you're like, I gotta find something cuz you know it's
going to be literal battle in there.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
But like I asked Chale Son and he goes, dude,
it's like playing pick up basketball. I'm like, well, yeah,
the difference is I don't knee and kick and punch
like you know guys that I'm playing pick up basketball.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I want to beat them.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
I get that, but like you know, it's one of
those things like are you a guy that you've got
to have that edge when.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
When you go up against somebody, I.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Don't care man, It's just another person to me. And like,
I mean, I don't know how to say this about
it coming out wrong, but like I don't mind hurting people.
It's like pretty fun to me, to be honest, Like,
you get a chance to hurt me, I get a
chance to hurt you. Let's see who wins. It's fun
to me, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
What's your background in terms of getting into mixed martial arts.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
So originally I started, I was like muy taig kickboxing,
and then I went like I had a bunch of
like submissions because it's like the reason I used to
submit people that I start hitting them, then they shoot
and I choke them out, and then it's been destroying
everyone with grappling. So I like to think I'm pretty
well rounded.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
If I give you your ultimate you win in the octagon,
is it TKO or is it you be able to
get somebody to tap.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Honestly, don't care as long as you hate your luck happy, Yeah,
I just try to make it as miserable as possible
so you don't never see my name again.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Oh I hear you.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
And Anthony Hernandez hopping in with us here on the
Morning Drive again. He's gonna be fighting against Sean Strickland
coming up at UFC Fight Night two sixty eight. So
it's gonna be coming up on Saturday, February twenty first
over at toy at A Center. And it's nice to
have you guys back in Houston too, because it seemed
like COVID y'all were here all the time, and then
(05:07):
after that it was kind of like, all right, you know,
let's go around to other places.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
But it's good to have y'all back. Man, Like you.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Excited about fighting in Texas because I know that you
mentioned you've got a lot of family here in the state.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
No, I'm super stoked, man, I got family from all over,
Like I think, like I have over one hundred people coming,
So I'm really excited, you know. I mean, I get
to see a lot of people. I haven't seen her forever.
I get to see one of my grandma's sisters and
I haven't seen her in years. So like, I'm really excited.
There's gonna be like a family reunion with a little
bit of violence. I'm happy.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I mean, sometimes it is a family reunion if we're
being honest, you know, I mean, some maybe like actually
act on it. But then like some are like, you know,
it would have been really good to have like given
them a good like you know, right across the jaw
right there, that would have been kind of nice. But
you know, for most of us, like you know, we
we can catch assault charges. I don't want any of
that kind of stuff. But now, I mean, you know,
(05:55):
just for you when it comes to your career. I mean,
I know that usually athletes, when they're in the middle
of it, you don't want to look back too much.
But I mean, is there a moment that stands out
to you already that, like you think is when it's
all said and done, you're gonna say that was it.
That's that's when I found out I really could do this.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah, I don't know, like I guess the moment that
like that moment that I found that I thought I
could do it or whatever it was like fifteen or sixteen,
and like it was a Muay Thai smoker.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I fought like a.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Thirty three year old guy of four weeks note like
we were worth four months of training and like he
had just keep doing and like I really didn't have
anything else going for me, So I like I just
stuck in the gym and this is like, now, this is.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Just all I do. So it worked out get you
out of here on this one.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
So when it comes to, you know, trying to battle
through and I mean and I mean camp fights, whatever
it is, this isn't easy, Like this is always going
to have some sort of school you got to get over.
But how do you mentally get yourself past that? Like
how do you say, like, this is the right thing, this,
(07:07):
this is what I need to do.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
I just know that one day when I'm dead, I
can rest for my kids and like leave something nice,
you know what I mean? So whatever has something I
really don't care is just go hard for my kids
right now.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
No, I got you again, Anthony, your hand is hopping
in with us here again. He's gonna be part of
UFC Fight Night two sixty eight coming up Saturday, February
twenty first over at Toyita Center. Anthony, dude, Hey appreciate
you hopping in with us this morning. Man, I really
looking forward to the fight already told Hunter segesta our
old buddy here who used to be with the Rockets.
So that's good to see him and all of you
(07:44):
all again and thanks for coming in. Man really appreciate you.
Looking forward to seeing the fight.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Thank you, thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.
The UFC Fight Night two sixty eight coming up in February,
(00:03):
and our special guests in studio right now, Anthony Fluffy
Hernandez hopping in with us right now.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Here on the Morning Drive.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And I gotta know, I mean, because you don't look fluffy,
Like where where does that nickname come from?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
A little fat kid growing up?
Speaker 4 (00:18):
Okay, I was like fifteen, like two forty, yeah, in
that range fighting a heavyweight, fighting grown men as a kid,
and then it just kind of stuck because I was
a little fat kid and I just ran with it.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
So you know, as a guy who's trying to become O.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
You uh now that what helps is like I have
to make weight and I get paid for it, right,
So like if I didn't have that, I don't know
if I probably fat again, to be honest, you know
what I mean, Yeah, comfortable, but I don't know. This
keeps me like in shape, so it's good for me.
That's why, like I originally got into it was to
get in shape and to like some anger out, you know,
(00:51):
and it worked out.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So I mean, you know, it's one of those things
is you know, me and you were talking before you
hopped on with us and I listened to Rogan a lot.
I think a lot of people, you know, listen to them.
Now you kind of feel like, you know, oh, hey,
I know a lot more. It's like, I probably don't
know half of what I do. But one of the
things that he talked about was a Mike Tyson quote
that he talked about where if I'm not nervous going
(01:14):
to the ring, then I'm in the wrong business.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I mean, when you.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Make that walk out of the locker room, you're going
to the octagon, Like, what's that feeling like?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Turning back?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Then?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You know what I mean? So it's a rush, but
I love it, you.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Know, Anthony Hernandez again hopping in with us here on
the Morning Drive. I mean when it comes to camp,
I mean, that's that's a thing that I think, you know,
because obviously the fights themselves, people see that and they
don't realize the work that goes in. But like, are
you a guy in your team, Like do you guys
train for where you want the camp to be harder
(01:48):
than what you think the fight's going to be.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I mean I train hard all the time, to be honest. Like,
there's people that have like seasons that they train in
and those people that just train all the time. I'm
one of those people that train all the time, and
I train artists. It's all I'm good at unfortunately. But yeah, no,
I'd like I just I'm always in the gym, so
nothing really changes for me ever, So.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
I mean when it comes to that, I mean I've
heard a lot of guys. You know, we'll go about
it in different ways. I Mean some will say, hey,
like family, everybody, you gotta take it for now, like
we gotta focus on this fight.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Get to you when I can get to you. But like,
you know, how do you approach it?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I mean, does it you shut everybody out and you're
getting ready for the fight or is it just kind
of just go about your life just a normal routine.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
This is normal routine, man, This is like what I do,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
But like as far as like my kids and stuff,
I see them pretty often, but like family, family, I
really don't see that many people that often. I've been like,
I've been training since I was like fifteen, so like
there's literally just been gym in fight for like since
I was a kid. And I'm freaking thirty three now,
so I've just been stuck in that groove, trying to
make it. So we're finally getting to the top and
(02:58):
I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So I mean your opponent, Sean Strickland, I mean, I
think a lot of UFCU fans know a good amount
about them.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I mean, do you know him at all?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Like it is in one of those things because like
it's funny, yeah, because like I remembered a few years ago,
I had talked with hille Son and he fought Brian
Stan like a literal war hero. And you know, and
I know that some people you go with a different edge,
like even if it's somebody that you know, and you like,
you're like, I gotta find something cuz you know it's
going to be literal battle in there.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
But like I asked Chale Son and he goes, dude,
it's like playing pick up basketball. I'm like, well, yeah,
the difference is I don't knee and kick and punch
like you know guys that I'm playing pick up basketball.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I want to beat them.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
I get that, but like you know, it's one of
those things like are you a guy that you've got
to have that edge when.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
When you go up against somebody, I.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Don't care man, It's just another person to me. And like,
I mean, I don't know how to say this about
it coming out wrong, but like I don't mind hurting people.
It's like pretty fun to me, to be honest, Like,
you get a chance to hurt me, I get a
chance to hurt you. Let's see who wins. It's fun
to me, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
What's your background in terms of getting into mixed martial arts.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
So originally I started, I was like muy taig kickboxing,
and then I went like I had a bunch of
like submissions because it's like the reason I used to
submit people that I start hitting them, then they shoot
and I choke them out, and then it's been destroying
everyone with grappling. So I like to think I'm pretty
well rounded.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
If I give you your ultimate you win in the octagon,
is it TKO or is it you be able to
get somebody to tap.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Honestly, don't care as long as you hate your luck happy, Yeah,
I just try to make it as miserable as possible
so you don't never see my name again.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Oh I hear you.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
And Anthony Hernandez hopping in with us here on the
Morning Drive again. He's gonna be fighting against Sean Strickland
coming up at UFC Fight Night two sixty eight. So
it's gonna be coming up on Saturday, February twenty first
over at toy at A Center. And it's nice to
have you guys back in Houston too, because it seemed
like COVID y'all were here all the time, and then
(05:07):
after that it was kind of like, all right, you know,
let's go around to other places.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
But it's good to have y'all back. Man, Like you.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Excited about fighting in Texas because I know that you
mentioned you've got a lot of family here in the state.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
No, I'm super stoked, man, I got family from all over,
Like I think, like I have over one hundred people coming,
So I'm really excited, you know. I mean, I get
to see a lot of people. I haven't seen her forever.
I get to see one of my grandma's sisters and
I haven't seen her in years. So like, I'm really excited.
There's gonna be like a family reunion with a little
bit of violence. I'm happy.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I mean, sometimes it is a family reunion if we're
being honest, you know, I mean, some maybe like actually
act on it. But then like some are like, you know,
it would have been really good to have like given
them a good like you know, right across the jaw
right there, that would have been kind of nice. But
you know, for most of us, like you know, we
we can catch assault charges. I don't want any of
that kind of stuff. But now, I mean, you know,
(05:55):
just for you when it comes to your career. I mean,
I know that usually athletes, when they're in the middle
of it, you don't want to look back too much.
But I mean, is there a moment that stands out
to you already that, like you think is when it's
all said and done, you're gonna say that was it.
That's that's when I found out I really could do this.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah, I don't know, like I guess the moment that
like that moment that I found that I thought I
could do it or whatever it was like fifteen or sixteen,
and like it was a Muay Thai smoker.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I fought like a.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Thirty three year old guy of four weeks note like
we were worth four months of training and like he
had just keep doing and like I really didn't have
anything else going for me, So I like I just
stuck in the gym and this is like, now, this is.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Just all I do. So it worked out get you
out of here on this one.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
So when it comes to, you know, trying to battle
through and I mean and I mean camp fights, whatever
it is, this isn't easy, Like this is always going
to have some sort of school you got to get over.
But how do you mentally get yourself past that? Like
how do you say, like, this is the right thing, this,
(07:07):
this is what I need to do.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
I just know that one day when I'm dead, I
can rest for my kids and like leave something nice,
you know what I mean? So whatever has something I
really don't care is just go hard for my kids
right now.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
No, I got you again, Anthony, your hand is hopping
in with us here again. He's gonna be part of
UFC Fight Night two sixty eight coming up Saturday, February
twenty first over at Toyita Center. Anthony, dude, Hey appreciate
you hopping in with us this morning. Man, I really
looking forward to the fight already told Hunter segesta our
old buddy here who used to be with the Rockets.
So that's good to see him and all of you
(07:44):
all again and thanks for coming in. Man really appreciate you.
Looking forward to seeing the fight.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Thank you, thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.
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