- Anthony Hernandez stopped Michel Pereira in the final round
- “Fluffy” is calling for a title shot
Anthony Hernandez ground his way to late finish, stopping fellow top middleweight contender Michel Pereira.
A masterful performance on the ground
Pereira was able to land some beautiful combinations in the opening round to establish advantage on the feet. However, those shots ended up being the best moments for the Brazilian as “Fluffy” managed to dominate him on the ground for the better part of the match.
Hernandez continued to maul Pereira on the ground, outstriking “Demolidor” in the succeeding rounds. In Round 5, “Fluffy” finally wore Pereira out and finished the job with some hard elbows while in a dominant ground and pound position.
Referee Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the fight with 2:22 seconds left on the clock. Hernandez was then declared the winner via TKO.
FLUFFY IS RELENTLESS 😤@ILoveBamf delivers a TKO win in his first UFC main event! #UFCVegas99 pic.twitter.com/jIYDmpfFGg
— UFC (@ufc) October 20, 2024
ANTHONY HERNANDEZ KNOCKS OUT MICHEL PEREIRA IN THE 5TH 🔥🔥
ABSOLUTELY DOMINANT PERFORMANCE!#UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/D3KRGdZhKQ
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 20, 2024
Hernandez wants the belt
Speaking after his dominant win, Hernandez made his pitch for a title shot, insisting he has proven that he is ready for the biggest fight of his career.
“I’m ready for my belt. I’m out of my own way. Just give me what it f**king takes,” Hernandez said. “Give me someone that’s going to give me a title shot. I’m f**king ready, I’ll prove it to you.”
The win saw Hernandez improving his remarkable winning streak to six in a row. On the other hand, Pereira snapped his eight-fight winning streak.
