Luis Hernandez has been a part of a viral second previously, but it surely 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. In the final moments of the bout, Hernandez has a guillotine locked up, then appears to be like at Hunsinger’s nook, says one thing and stands proud his tongue. From there, Hernandez cranks on the submission and finally will get the faucet, which led to Hernandez celebrating with the D-Technology 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 had been brewing from the walkouts to the cage.
“So once I noticed them strolling out from their nook, I don’t wish to go too loopy on particulars, however I seen they checked out me and so they laughed,” Hernandez advised MMA Combating. “They stated one thing, I believe 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 battle finishes now and 5 finishes in novice.
“In order that they [were] most likely [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 snort at me? I’m going to get the final snort.’ And a few issues had been stated… I’m attempting to recollect all the pieces now, however I used to be having a good time. I simply needed to have enjoyable. When the entire second occurred itself, you see me laughing. I wish to present that there’s two sides: I’ve my profession, after which contained in the cage, I’m in a position to have enjoyable. That is actually enjoyable for me. I get pleasure from it. That is my ardour.
“At work, I’m an expert being in regulation enforcement, and I’ve to do all the pieces 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 assume issues escalated. I didn’t count on that in any respect. You see me, I’m laughing. I didn’t count on what occurred to occur. I used to be like, ‘OK, I assume 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 believe 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 in a position to present it.
“I heard them saying little issues, and I used to be targeted. Miles is a hell of an opponent, man. I actually respect him. The man was in The Final Fighter home, 7-1, and he took this battle on quick discover as a result of I’ve been having points getting opponents, and this was an ideal expertise, and I actually had, like I stated, a good time with the sticking the tongue out. I didn’t assume he was going to take it that private, as a result of I’m fairly certain he does loads 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 means 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 nearly in, you understand how they’ve the Russian [version of] TUF? You understand how on the Russian TUF individuals simply begin preventing? I used to be like, ‘What’s occurring right here?’ I used to be like, rattling.
“I really 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 an expert fighter, however I’m a cop, too. You’re swinging on any individual for I don’t know what cause. 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. Possibly one in all these may 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 wish to battle for cash, I’ll do it for cash. I wasn’t anticipating an unsanctioned battle, but when this may be a matchup sooner or later, most undoubtedly 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 purpose of the 28-year-old up and comer to turn into a profitable fighter within the UFC’s welterweight division, and keep 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 appears to be like for, Hernandez doesn’t need that to return on the expense at Strickland and Curtis’ preventing careers, and hopes the Nevada Athletic Fee received’t punish both fighter.
“I believe issues escalated to some extent 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 identical 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 in opposition to anyone from that nook, that staff. That’s an ideal staff. Xtreme Couture is a superb staff. I’m nonetheless right here in Vegas, I used to be like, ‘Hey, perhaps I might go practice there,’ now, I don’t assume 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 costs?’ I’m like, ‘What? No.’ I’d by no means need something to occur to those guys as a result of I really like them, and I hope they watch this. I’ve nothing in opposition to Sean, nothing in opposition to Chris, nothing in opposition to Xtreme Couture. I like these guys. …
“I’d say we’re all adults right here, and I’ve nothing in opposition to 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.”
