Conor McGregor’s teammate, Dillon Danis will make his MMA return on August 30 in Manchester, facing influencer Warren Spencer at Misfits Boxing 22. But before that, yesterday, he hit up UFC Fight Night to watch a fellow American in the main event, where fan favorite Anthony Hernandez put on the best performance of his career, dominating Roman Dolidze for over four rounds before sealing the deal with a rare moving rear-naked choke. And guess what? Dhillon Danis left with pride… and a fat payday.

The #10-ranked middleweight controlled the #9-ranked Georgian from the opening takedown attempt until the final tap, extending his winning streak to eight. But even before the fight ended, Danis, like many fans, placed a bet, and unsurprisingly, he won. And shortly after the match, he shared a photo of his betting slip on his Instagram story with the caption, “Cash it ✅🤑.” The slip revealed he had won $195,000 by betting on Anthony Hernandez. Danis posted reactionary comments to the fight on X; other notable MMA voices also praised Hernandez’s choke and called for a title shot.

Following a preliminary card filled with highlight-reel finishes, Saturday’s main card delivered a string of close, competitive bouts that went the distance, framed by impressive middleweight stoppages. Christian Leroy Duncan set the tone by finishing Eryk Anders, initiating the sequence with a slick spinning back elbow before sealing the win moments later. The next four fights all went to the scorecards, with Jean Matsumoto and Andre Fili edging out split decisions, while Iasmin Lucindo and Steve Erceg earned unanimous decision victories.

It was indeed a night full of action, with plenty of standout performances. In the main event, Anthony Hernandez wore down and ultimately finished Roman Dolidze, battering the Georgian powerhouse for nearly four full rounds before locking in a rare no-hooks rear-naked choke to secure the tap. Moreover, as an Apex event, where the UFC typically profits well due to owning the venue, UFC 109 proved to be a successful night that exceeded expectations. Observers and analysts described the finish as a “no-hooks rear-naked choke” transition and noted Hernandez’s relentless pace and control — a performance many called his most complete to date.

As an Apex card, where the promotion often runs low-overhead shows, the event was a production success and provided a platform for several emerging names to stake claims. From an editorial angle: the UFC often uses Apex main events to evaluate contenders before slotting them into bigger pay-per-view matchups; Hernandez’s dominant showing likely accelerates his placement into the title conversation.

With his winning streak now extended to eight, Anthony Hernandez has left the MMA world in awe. Ultimately, the 15-2 contender is earning the praise he rightfully deserves after such a dominant performance. But what’s next for Anthony Hernandez?

Anthony Hernandez refuses to settle for anything less

Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez wasted no time aiming for the middleweight title following his eighth straight win. After defeating Roman Dolidze, he doubled down on his post-fight message: the next step is gold. Speaking with Daniel Cormier inside the Octagon, he made it clear that only the winner of Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev will do.

“I want a title shot. What the f— have I got to do? Give me a title shot and I promise I’ll be the next champ. I want to prove I can take a title… I want to prove I’m the best in the world,” Hernandez declared. And his performance against Dolidze showed exactly why he believes he’s ready for that leap, combining sharp strikes with relentless wrestling to set the pace from the opening bell.

Dolidze managed to survive an early onslaught and a near-TKO in round two, but the damage was mounting. A third-round knockdown paved the way for the finish, and Hernandez’s composure in locking up the submission underscored his evolution from a promising prospect to a legitimate contender. Even a minor weigh-in hiccup, briefly coming in half a pound over before immediately correcting, did little to overshadow his dominance.

Already one of the most dangerous threats in the 185-pound division, “Fluffy” adds even more intrigue to a title race that’s heating up ahead of August. With his name now firmly in the mix, the middleweight storyline has another compelling chapter in the making. That said, what do you think about Anthony Hernandez’s performance?