The middleweight division has always been one of the most competitive in the UFC. Current champion Dricus Du Plessis earned his title by beating and defending against some of the best middleweights in the world. His journey to the championship wasn’t easy, and maintaining his position will be even harder. Du Plessis understands that new contenders emerge every weekend, and he needs to keep his eyes on everyone climbing the rankings. And Anthony Hernandez is that guy!<\/p>
He has been quietly building something special in the middleweight division for years now. The California native struggled early in his UFC<\/a> career, suffering some tough losses that could have derailed his dreams completely. But ‘Fluffy’ never gave up and slowly started putting together impressive victories. His relentless pace and suffocating pressure style began overwhelming opponents who couldn’t match his cardio. Saturday night’s performance against Roman Dolidze represented his biggest statement yet. Hernandez didn’t just beat a top contender; he completely dominated him for four rounds before securing the submission finish. This type of performance makes champions take notice, and Du Plessis clearly saw something that impressed him about the surging contender.<\/p> Dricus Du Plessis took to social media immediately after Hernandez’s victory to share his thoughts. The champion posted a simple but telling five word message about the performance. This reaction speaks volumes about how impressive Hernandez looked against Dolidze. Champions don’t usually go out of their way to praise potential challengers unless they see something truly special.<\/p> “What a performance by Fluffy!” <\/em><\/strong><\/p>Dricus Du Plessis Shows Respect For Anthony Hernandez’s Performance<\/h2>