{"id":36529,"date":"2026-01-15T21:25:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T21:25:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Top-Contender-Reveals-UFC-Forced-Him-to-Prove-Mexican-Family-History-199759"},"modified":"2026-01-15T21:25:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T21:25:45","slug":"top-contender-reveals-ufc-forced-him-to-prove-mexican-family-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/top-contender-reveals-ufc-forced-him-to-prove-mexican-family-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Contender Reveals UFC Forced Him to Prove Mexican Family History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\nUltimate Fighting Championship<\/a> middleweight Anthony
\nHernandez<\/a> claims the promotion asked him to show them his
\nfamily\u2019s papers.<\/p>\n

On a Wednesday appearance on \u201cThe
\nAriel Helwani Show,\u201d<\/a> Hernandez discussed his upcoming headliner
\nat UFC Houston<\/a> against Sean
\nStrickland<\/a>. He also cracked into the 2025 middleweight
\nchampionship affair when Khamzat
\nChimaev<\/a> defeated Dricus Du
\nPlessis<\/a>, heavily criticizing the former. Additionally, he
\ntouched on a few notable issues, including a strange encounter with
\nUFC brass and his outspoken use of cannabis.<\/p>\n

\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Helwani brought up a post Hernandez made on social media<\/a> showing him in fight shorts with
\nthe Mexican flag and a rooster on the side. Hernandez coined it his
\n\u201cfighting rooster,\u201d while remarking that he did not know how to go
\nabout getting custom shorts and that the UFC even questioned him
\nabout his Mexican heritage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish,\u201d he replied when asked if his colorful shorts would be
\npart of his next fight kit. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you even gotta do to
\nget f—ing cool shorts and s–t in the UFC. They almost didn\u2019t let
\nme walk out to represent Mexico anymore, because I had to show
\nf—ing proof of residency for Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cDude, I don\u2019t get special treatment. That\u2019s why I\u2019m
\non a f—ing eight-fight win streak. There\u2019s no special treatment
\nhere. I have to go earn everything, unfortunately. And it\u2019s how my
\nlife has always been so f–k it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hernandez further elaborated on the organization grilling him about
\nhis roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to like jump through some hoops real quick, and had to find
\nmy f—ing grandparents\u2019 birth certificates and show that they\u2019re
\nfrom Mexico and that I can represent\u2026man, it\u2019s where my blood\u2019s
\nfrom. My dad\u2019s from there, my mom\u2019s family is from there, that\u2019s my
\nheritage. Yes, I\u2019m American. Yes, I\u2019ve been here, but everything
\nwe\u2019ve had and s–t, we\u2019ve had to earn,\u201d \u201cFluffy\u201d relayed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents, on my dad\u2019s side, I\u2019m technically first generation
\nbecause he was smuggled in,\u201d Hernandez admitted. \u201cAnd then on my
\nmom\u2019s side, I\u2019m second generation. So, we\u2019ve had to earn
\neverything. I remember being a little kid and going to these
\nf—ing camps and s–t, like where they pick vegetables and s–t.
\nThey would watch, my tia would watch me and s–t. I grew up super
\nMexican, man, so to me that\u2019s my pride. I carry a lot of pride with
\nthat.\u201d<\/p>\n

It Makes Me Feel All Right<\/h2>\n

The pairing of Hernandez and Strickland was once considered for
\nAustralia rather than Houston, and both athletes were relieved for
\nvarious reasons. Most of all, the American-based fighters will not
\nbe subject to the heavy taxes when competing in the Oceanic
\nnation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God [Strickland] said something, because now we\u2019re both not
\ngetting f—ed on taxes,\u201d Hernandez replied with a grin.<\/p>\n

However, the change in location does bring additional stipulations,
\nnamely the drug testing restrictions for Texas as compared to other
\njurisdictions like Nevada.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta quit smoking, which sucks, for Texas, but it is what it
\nis. I\u2019d rather quit smoking than get f—ed on my money,\u201d Hernandez
\nobserved, while pointing out that he does not smoke cigarettes and
\nonly consumes marijuana. \u201cI just smoke weed\u2026you can\u2019t have more
\nthan 50 mgs in your system, whatever the f–k that means.\u201d<\/p>\n

The threshold for Texas is much tighter than that of the state
\nwhere the UFC is headquartered, roughly one-third the level now
\npermitted in Las Vegas. In Texas, fighters can have no more than 50
\nnanograms per milliliter in their body at any time, while Nevada
\nrecently upped the limit to 150 ng\/ml. Hernandez suggested that
\nwhile he is an avid consumer of cannabis, he holds off for a couple
\ndays surrounding the fight itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI f—ing take edibles all week and s–t, get high as f–k all
\nweek [including fight week],\u201d Fluffy nonchalantly remarked, and
\nshrugged off any concerns about ill effects from the substance.
\n\u201cI\u2019m always tired, so it doesn\u2019t matter. I fight sober, that\u2019s the
\none time, like from weigh-ins to the fight, I\u2019m sober. But, besides
\nthat, I\u2019m usually high as f–k.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hernandez made no bones about his level of consumption. When asked
\nif he takes edibles and trains, the middleweight was almost
\nsurprised by the question, answering affirmatively. For him,
\ntraining and sparring while under the influence is a regular day
\nfor him, completely normal and what best helps him improve his
\ngame.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just calmer when I\u2019m high. I\u2019m not going to try to take your
\nf—ing head off. So, that\u2019s probably good for everyone else. Maybe
\nI am a little bit slower and lethargic, but\u2026I\u2019ve never really felt
\ngreat in a fight, so it doesn\u2019t really matter\u2026you never feel good
\nin a fight,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n

Even though he has plans on owning his own ranch and disappearing
\nfrom public life after retiring, the carefree \u201cFluffy\u201d is content
\nwith what he has accomplished in his fighting career. He has
\nreached the stage where he no longer feels nervous before a bout,
\nand accepts all outcomes, even the direst.<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, I\u2019m not nervous, I don\u2019t give a f–k about that,\u201d he said
\nwith a laugh. \u201cWorst case, I die, and then I don\u2019t have to work
\nhard no more. I really don\u2019t give a f–k\u2026I could die tomorrow and
\nI\u2019d be happy with what I\u2019ve done. [My family will be] fine\u2026it is
\nwhat it is, I\u2019m not worried about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hernandez put a stamp on things by saying, \u201cI\u2019m only good at
\nhurting people. That\u2019s the best, it\u2019s all I\u2019m really good at. I
\njust make the most of it, try to be a good person.\u201d<\/p>\n