Khamzat Chimaev’s one-sided victory over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 on August 16, 2025, crowned him the new middleweight champion. His wrestling dominance at Chicago’s United Center left fans and fighters in awe. Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who faced Chimaev in 2023, shared his thoughts on the Pound 4 Pound Podcast, naming Anthony Hernandez as the fighter most likely to challenge the new king.
The fight saw Chimaev become the 15th UFC fighter to win an undisputed title while undefeated. Dana White, at the post-fight press conference, suggested Chimaev could defend his title at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi in October 2025.
Usman’s Pick for Chimaev’s Next Test
Chimaev controlled Du Plessis for 21 minutes, landing 529 strikes and 12 takedowns to win the middleweight title by unanimous decision (50-44). Usman, impressed by the performance, pointed to Anthony Hernandez as Chimaev’s toughest potential opponent.
“That’s tough to say man. There’s talent right now in that middleweight division, (Anthony) Fluffy Hernandez, I love what he’s doing so far,” Usman said. “You can see it, when you start to taste success a little bit, you really start to bite down and want more and more, and that’s what we’re seeing from Hernandez, he’s getting better and better each and every time he gets in there. He’s going far, definitely.”
Hernandez’s recent wins and grappling skills make him a standout in Usman’s eyes.
Usman faced Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023, stepping in on short notice after Paulo Costa’s injury. The three-round fight was Chimaev’s closest, ending in a majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28).
Usman debuted in the UFC in 2015, winning The Ultimate Fighter 21. He claimed the welterweight title in 2019 by defeating Tyron Woodley and defended it five times against Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal (twice), and Gilbert Burns. His reign ended in 2022 with a knockout loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278, followed by a decision loss in their 2023 rematch. Usman moved to middleweight for Chimaev but returned to welterweight, beating Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.
Anthony Hernandez, nicknamed “Fluffy,” is a California-born middleweight with a 13-2 record (6-2 in the UFC). He debuted in 2018, losing to Markus Perez by submission, and suffered a knockout loss to Kevin Holland in 2020. Since then, he’s won six straight fights, including submissions over Rodolfo Vieira, Marc-Andre Barriault, and Roman Kopylov. On February 22, 2025, Hernandez faced Brendan Allen at UFC Fight Night 252 in Seattle, winning by unanimous decision. He outstruck Allen 27-6 in the final two rounds, using eight minutes of control time to wear him down, echoing their 2018 LFA decision win.
On August 9, 2025, Hernandez headlined UFC on ESPN 72 against Roman Dolidze in Las Vegas, dominating with pressure and securing a rear-naked choke submission at 2:45 of the fourth round, ending Dolidze’s three-fight win streak and earning a Performance of the Night bonus. Daniel Cormier, on his YouTube channel, called Hernandez “a dark horse” in the division, praising his grappling and improving striking.
