At UFC Houston, Anthony Hernandez saw his impressive eight-fight winning streak snapped. In the main event, Sean Strickland proved too much, as ‘Fluffy’ wilted under the former champion’s pressure in the third round. After that monumental setback, the Mexican-American’s title hopes have come under scrutiny, with fans questioning how he rebounds. However, one UFC legend believes those dreams are still alive if Hernandez makes a key sacrifice.

According to Michael Bisping, Hernandez should consider dropping to the welterweight division. ‘The Count’ explained that he feels Hernandez is not ideally built for the 185-pound class and that a disciplined cut to 170 pounds could revive his championship trajectory. 

Michael Bisping advises Anthony Hernandez to go down to the welterweight division 

“Fluffy can probably make welterweight. That’s my honest opinion,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “He’s maybe a little soft-bodied, and I think that’s where the nickname comes from. He needs to work on that because he could be a champion in the welterweight division. Certainly, at middleweight, he’s proven himself with that eight-fight winning streak. But you’ve got to make the sacrifices.”

Bisping’s take definitely raises an interesting possibility. Physically, it appears that Hernandez is capable of making 170 pounds without extreme strain. Also, the fact that he has never missed weight in his UFC career contributes to that thought. Still, there have been moments that suggest the cut may not be entirely straightforward.

Before facing Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle, the 32-year-old briefly alarmed observers when he weighed in at 186.5 pounds, half a pound over the non-title middleweight limit. However, it was later revealed that he was taking antibiotics, which complicated the weight cut.

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So, the idea of Hernandez’s permanent drop to welterweight is definitely intriguing, but not without risk, especially considering he also came in at 186 lbs for his clash with Strickland. That said, whether Hernandez ultimately chooses to move down or remain at middleweight remains to be seen. 

But, for now at least, Hernandez is focused on bouncing back after the loss at the Toyota Center, determined to prove that this defeat was only a temporary setback.

‘Fluffy’ vows to make a comeback 

Ahead of the Houston clash, Anthony Hernandez was getting the majority backing to defeat Sean Strickland in the headliner. However, ‘Fluffy’s night turned sour as his takedown attempts failed to make a difference inside the cage, while ‘Tarzan’ scored a violent knockout.

‘Fluffy’s fans are understandably disappointed with the result, but Hernandez is not sitting in the corner whining about his loss. Instead, he is planning to make a strong comeback, finally addressing the audience.

“First things first, thank you guys so much to everyone who came out,” Hernandez said on Instagram. “You showed me a lot of love, that was awesome. Players mess up. I mean, I was on an eight-fight win streak. Felt like things were going smooth until I got hit with a body shot. Things happen. It’s part of the game. It took six years for someone to finally beat me. I’ll be back.”

Although it was a rough night for ‘Fluffy,’ he is still one of the best 185-pounders in the UFC. As he plans his return, there are already some intriguing options being discussed. For instance, Hernandez could make his comeback against the loser of Caio Borralho vs Reinier de Ridder, which is set to take place at UFC 326, and that would certainly be an exciting matchup.

That said, what do you think about Anthony Hernandez’s future? Should he actually move down to welterweight? Let us know in the comments section below.