Alvin Hines made his UFC debut at UFC 317, trying to carve a name for himself in the heavyweight division. The outcome, however, was far from optimal. After being pummeled by Jhonata Diniz in a one-sided fight, it wasn’t the fight itself that kept Hines trending—it was what happened after the final bell. A meme directed at analyst Jon Anik went viral, dragging an entirely different chapter of Hines’ life into the spotlight.

The Instagram post by Knockoutalerts ridiculed Anik for not revealing Hines’ criminal history, and it featured mugshots of Hines with two other men, Jason Nicholson and Jay Bowman. Fans quickly dug further. What began as a post-fight joke quickly became a serious revelation.

‘Goozie’ had been arrested and charged with armed robbery and burglary years before making his UFC debut. Suddenly, the debut was more than just fight numbers; it was about a life that had once veered far from the Octagon. Official reports confirm the information. Hines, then 27, was apprehended in Cohasset, Minnesota, after a lady reported a home invasion.

Deputies retrieved her stolen phone, television, and laptop. They also found a revolver stashed beneath the seat of an automobile. When the victim identified Hines in a live lineup as the man who entered her home with a gun, he was arrested and jailed on $250,000 bond. The charges were serious, and the evidence was clear.

However, none of these made it onto the UFC 317 broadcast. Before the fight, Alvin Hines was described as a tough latecomer to the sport, having transitioned from doing construction jobs as a union operator to fighting professionally. His interviews emphasized hard work and perseverance, not prison records.

‘Goozy’ trained at La Bodega gym and established a regional name before being called up on short notice to fight in Las Vegas. Now, the focus on Hines isn’t on his performance or potential. It’s about what the fans didn’t know. Whether the UFC acknowledges it or not, Hines’ history has become a part of his identity.

And, while the thrashing he received inside the Octagon was harsh, the post-fight revelations may hit deeper and last longer. But still, he did leave quite an amusing impression. Why do we say so? Well, that’s because the fighter surely managed to make Daniel Cormier laugh out loud tonight.

Daniel Cormier laughs out loud at Alvin Hines

Alvin Hines may have left the Octagon with a bruised face and a loss on his record, but he also left with something else: a moment that made Daniel Cormier laugh mid-broadcast. In a sport where even split-second decisions can mean the difference between life and death, it’s not every day that a rookie can laugh off a one-sided hammering.

But that’s exactly what Hines did, and it took everyone by surprise. Cormier couldn’t resist but share what ‘Goozy’ had told him cageside as the commentary team broke down the action following the bout. “He said, ‘DC, did I even get hit?'” Cormier chuckled. “Yeah, you got hit quite a few times, my friend.”

And he was not kidding. Hines took 112 serious strikes, with 94 of them landing on his head alone. The fight was statistically lopsided, but the moment of levity provided an unusually human ending. The damage was evident, but Hines’ spirit remained intact, which may work in his favor. Despite being outclassed, he maintained a special charm.

He didn’t sulk or make excuses; instead, he made a joke, made Cormier laugh, and walked out with his head held high. On a night when he was supposed to be a forgettable name on the undercard, Alvin Hines suddenly became the guy who transformed a painful loss into an oddly enjoyable debut.