Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez didn’t just beat Roman Dolidze at UFC Vegas 109, he snapped the Georgian’s three-fight win streak in style. With a slick submission finish over a top-10 opponent, Hernandez walked away with a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus and a clear statement of intent. With that, his sights are now firmly set on middleweight gold, but before his upcoming clash with Reinier de Ridder on October 18th, the fan-favorite contender shared his thoughts on UFC 319’s headliner between Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis.

Promoted as a showdown of unbeaten middleweights, Dricus du Plessis entered his third title defense against No. 3-ranked Khamzat Chimaev, long regarded as one of the most dangerous fighters in the sport. From bell to bell, Chimaev dominated, turning the contest into one of the most one-sided title fights in UFC history, with all three judges scoring it 50-44. Yet despite the lopsided result, Hernandez insists the victory carries little weight.

That view split fans online—Reddit threads labeled Hernandez “refreshingly honest” while others accused him of disrespecting elite grappling, sparking a lively debate about whether dominance alone should be entertaining.

Interestingly, UFC president Dana White praised Chimaev at the post-fight press conference, calling the performance “historic” and pointing out that breaking Holloway’s strike record and maintaining undefeated status puts Chimaev in rare company. White pushed back at claims of the fight being boring, arguing it was “a masterclass in pressure fighting.”

Did Khamzat Chimaev really show any MMA skills at UFC 319?

A few days ago, Anthony Hernandez spoke with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn ahead of his UFC Fight Night 262 main event against Reinier de Ridder on October 18 in Vancouver. When asked, “I think you were one of the first people that got a headline, saying it was a boring fight. Do you still feel that way? Or has your opinion changed?” Hernandez didn’t hold back. “I mean, look man, I don’t even watch fights. Like, if I want to turn on the TV and see that shit, I’d be like, ‘Fu-k this sh-t, bro. Turn that shit right back off.’”

He doubled down, adding, “But that’s me. I don’t watch fights, mind you. If I’m going to watch a fight and it’s going to catch my attention, bro, then like it’s some people getting fu-ked up or someone’s got to be getting cracked. I like to see people get hurt. Not just hugged. I get it. You technique them, and it was beautiful, like on that side of wrestling it was beautiful. But this is mixed martial arts, and I don’t know. I feel like if you give the people what they want, you go out there and create violence everywhere. If it’s kickboxing, go kickbox. If it’s wrestling, go wrestle. I get it. But it’s mixed martial arts, man, so you can do everything.”

While Khamzat Chimaev’s 529 total strikes shattered the all-time UFC record previously held by Max Holloway, and his 21:40 of control time in a 25-minute fight ranks among the longest in title fight history, it meant nothing to the 15-2 contender. Those numbers place Borz in rare company, blending the relentless output of Holloway with the suffocating dominance of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Yet, Hernandez dismissed it entirely, insisting the fight showed no MMA skills beyond wrestling. Interestingly, while Hernandez belittled the performance, one of Khamzat Chimaev’s former opponents had the opposite take, giving him full credit for the historic display.

Kamaru Usman applauds Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 319

On the Pound-for-Pound podcast, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman shut down the idea that his UFC 294 loss to Khamzat Chimaev should be softened. While many suggested he deserved credit for giving Chimaev one of his toughest fights, Usman made it clear: a loss is still a loss. As a competitor, he refuses to treat it as a moral victory.

“Listen, everyone was saying that about him. First and foremost, let’s address the whole ‘Oh, you took the fight on short notice’ thing,” Usman explained. “At the end of the day, I know who I am as a fighter and the way I approach this game, and so does Khamzat Chimaev. Bottom line, it was still a loss on my record, and it was a win on Khamzat’s side of the column. So, is there this idea that I should feel a certain type of way about it? No! I don’t feel any sort of way like that. It was an L, and there’s mutual respect there because I respect him for how he came at it.”

The former champion also opened up about how stylistic similarities shaped the matchup. Both he and Khamzat Chimaev come from grappling foundations, which naturally made their fight highly competitive. Usman emphasized that fans should acknowledge that reality while also giving Chimaev his credit for pulling off the victory. For him, the bottom line remains simple: the undefeated Chechen-Emirati earned the win, and that deserves recognition.

He added, “Also, styles make fights… I’ve said many times: you don’t know until you actually get in there. Khamzat did the best he could, and he got the win. So, let’s give him that credit and move on!” Once again, Usman reinforced his point that Khamzat Chimaev deserves praise for what he accomplished, particularly given how dominant he looked in the opening round, much like he does against most opponents. Enrichment angle: With Hernandez set to face de Ridder in October, his blunt critique of Chimaev’s “hugging” style creates a storyline: if Hernandez wins and climbs into the top-5, a potential matchup with Chimaev could pit relentless submission hunting against suffocating wrestling. That clash of philosophies—violence vs. control—would give the UFC a compelling narrative to sell.

That said, what are your thoughts on Anthony Hernandez’s comment toward Khamzat Chimaev?