Dana White seldom misses an opportunity to sign a talent who catches his eye during the weekly Contender Series battles. This time, the UFC CEO wasted no time sending contract papers to a police officer who previously brawled with Sean Strickland, following his breakout performance at DWCS Week 6.  

Undefeated 8-0 prospect Luis Hernandez got the opportunity to put on a show against Hugo Guillon tonight at Contender Series, and he didn’t disappoint. The full-time officer-turned-MMA fighter had a vicious back-and-forth with his opponent in the first round, but he eventually found a rear-naked choke submission in the second round that left Dana White in awe. Highly impressed, the UFC boss couldn’t stop praising Hernandez for his victory. 

“Luis, I mean. I loved this fight,” White said. “Two dogs blasted each other with big shots. You guys basically have the same record. Both you guys were in trouble. You overcame big punches, being tired, submission attempt to get the finish. Incredible fight. I absolutely loved it. Welcome to the UFC.”  

For Hernandez, getting into the UFC is nothing short of a dream come true. The 30-year-old works as a full-time deputy for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in Florida and gained popularity for maintaining two distinct careers at the same time. However, the Florida-based fighter went viral last year after he brawled with UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. 

In June 2025, Hernandez scored an impressive submission victory over Miles Hunsinger, who’s coached by Strickland at Tuff-N-Uff 145. But all hell broke loose when ‘The Stach’ gestured towards his opponent’s corner. Enraged, ‘Tarzan’ and his longtime friend Chris Curtis entered the cage and charged at Hernandez, which resulted in a massive brawl. The security eventually stepped in to diffuse the melee, and no one was seriously hurt.  

Following the altercation, the commission suspended Strickland for six months and fined him $5,000, while Hernandez subsequently received a $2,500 fine. The UFC middleweight champion’s suspension ended last December.

Even the commentators briefly mentioned the incident during the broadcast, joking that “As long as he’s not looking at Strickland doing it,” while Hernandez celebrated his victory.

Interestingly, Dana White has previously signed military servicemen like Chris Leben to his promotion. He also signed Mirko Cro Cop, who was part of Croatia’s anti-terrorism police force. But when it comes to proper policemen, Chris Daukaus becomes a notable name who served as a cop for Philadelphia for 10 years before joining the UFC.

However, a major distinction between him and Hernandez is that Daukaus left his police job before joining the UFC, while the Miami-based fighter continues to work as a full-time sheriff in Florida.

This also seems to be the first time Dana White has signed a fighter who has brawled with one of his marquee champions. Though it’s still very early, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the head honcho can already see a potential storyline developing between Strickland and Hernandez.

Luiz Hernandez definitely impressed White with his outstanding performance at tonight’s DWCS. After his victory, the UFC prospect clarified his current situation with Sean Strickland.

DWCS winner breaks silence on situation with Sean Strickland

For Luiz Hernandez, getting into a heated altercation with Sean Strickland was definitely a breakout moment. But the Miami-based undefeated fighter doesn’t want to ride on that animosity. Instead, the 30-year-old revealed that he had already made amends with the UFC middleweight champion right after receiving his contract.

“One of his coaches was here,” Hernandez said at the post-fight presser. “Somebody said he might have been in the crowd. Like I said, I would love to talk to him. We kind of made amends through messages. I have nothing against him. I actually really like him. We’re American, and we need more American fighters in the UFC.”

With that, Hernandez made it clear that there’s no animosity from his side. Though Strickland hasn’t publicly addressed whether he has let go of the animosity, the Miami sheriff saying that they traded text messages suggests that both have made amends. In fact, despite Strickland being very outspoken about his opponents, he also has a forgiving side to his personality.

After beating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, ‘Tarzan’ apologized to his adversary for crossing the line during the buildup. With that in mind, it’s safe to imagine he would squash things with Hernandez as well.