“At the end of the day, I’m a martial artist, and now that I’m good in these areas, I definitely like them way more.” Hernandez adds. “I just hate losing, and when you have some really good training partners, you lose a lot in the gym. Now, I just embrace the martial arts.”
Above all, Hernandez just wants to win.
“Honestly, I just want to get a win,” he said. “The UFC is, by far, the hardest place to win, so just winning is great. Ideally, I would love to just get all knockouts and have a short night in the office, but a choke is a finish, too.”
UFC 298 Pre-Fight Press Conference
Hernandez’s attitude towards criticism is equally unwavering. Dismissing notions of being underrated, he remains focused on his goals.
“I really don’t care what people think of me,” he said. “It’s just go out there and do what I do and prove myself to myself.”
The pivotal question looming over Hernandez is whether he will rise to the occasion and defend his standing in the Top 15, or if Kopylov will seize his position. Hernandez understands that defeating Kopylov would set the stage for an action-packed year, fulfilling his longing for a busy fight calendar.