Anthony Hernandez is not in his usual headspace heading into Saturday. The California middleweight known as "Fluffy" is typically laid-back. This week he is not.
"I'm sober, I'm tired, and I'm not going to lie, I really want to f---ing hurt somebody," Hernandez told CBS Sports on Tuesday.
Hernandez headlines UFC Fight Night in Sacramento against Gregory Rodrigues, a Brazilian fighter with a knockout-heavy style built on a foundation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The card takes place a short distance from Hernandez's home in El Dorado Hills.
Rodrigues is known for his power and his willingness to engage. Hernandez plans to neutralize that. "Wrestling and weighing on people, I think that alone will slow him down," he told CBS Sports. "He's a heavy, dangerous hard hitter. I think slowing him down would be the smartest way to victory."
Earlier in the week, Hernandez told UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald: "My goal is to drown you and make you hate your f---ing life."
The intensity is understandable given where Hernandez stands right now. He had won eight consecutive fights before earning a main event slot against then-former middleweight champion Sean Strickland. A win could have pushed him toward a title shot. Instead, Strickland dominated, outstriking him every round and stopping him in the third. In roughly six months, Hernandez went from being considered a legitimate title contender to defending his spot against a fighter outside the top 10.
He is not dwelling on it. "He's really good. It's a game of inches," Hernandez said of Strickland. "You fight the best in the world. If you f--- up, he'll exploit you. It's as simple as that. I've been fighting forever. You win some, you lose some, unfortunately."
The middleweight title picture remains crowded. Khamzat Chimaev holds the championship. Breaking into that conversation requires wins, and Saturday's fight against Rodrigues is where Hernandez has to start rebuilding.
