If Anthony Hernandez isn’t quite at the forefront of discussions regarding contenders for the UFC middleweight championship, he’s rapidly approaching that level.
During the headlining bout of UFC Vegas 109 at the APEX facility, Hernandez showcased his dominance against Roman Dolidze, securing a victory through a fourth-round submission and extending his streak to eight consecutive wins. In a night that featured a knockout resulting from a forceful slam, it was “Fluffy” who arguably achieved the most lopsided triumph of the evening.
Hernandez inflicted such significant damage upon Dolidze in the second round that, upon the bell’s sound, his corner mistakenly believed the contest had concluded. Hernandez was delivering a barrage of strikes when referee Herb Dean intervened to separate the fighters, leading Hernandez and his corner to prematurely celebrate what they thought was a stoppage.
Dean promptly clarified the situation.
The primary inquiry now centers on Hernandez’s future prospects. He possesses a definite objective in mind.
“I am aiming for a title opportunity. What further actions are necessary?” Hernandez expressed during his post-fight interview in the Octagon. That particular expletive arguably constituted his most significant error of the night, as Daniel Cormier quickly reminded him of their live broadcast status on ESPN, as opposed to a pay-per-view platform.
The reigning UFC middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis, is scheduled to defend his title against Khamzat Chimaev in the coming week at UFC 319, although the possibility exists that other contenders may still be ranked higher than Hernandez, who entered Saturday’s event positioned 10th in the promotion’s middleweight rankings. Hernandez also stated his willingness to compete for a “BMF” title.
Considering the performance he exhibited against Dolidze, characterized by relentless pursuit around the Octagon and an unceasing barrage of ground strikes with no apparent concerns about stamina, he should undoubtedly be granted a significant opportunity for his subsequent match.
In the evening’s co-main event, former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg withstood substantial blows from Ode’ Osbourne in the initial round before rallying to secure a unanimous decision victory, thereby ending a three-fight losing streak in his debut within the bantamweight division.
No participant in the event was more in need of a victory than Erceg, who obtained a title opportunity against Alexandre Pantoja surprisingly early in his UFC career, only to subsequently lose that bout, along with subsequent matches against Kai Kara-France and Brandon Moreno, effectively removing him from the flyweight elite. He indicated during the week that his contract status might be in jeopardy, providing him with ample justification for celebration.
Refer to the detailed UFC Vegas 109 results and notable highlights provided below.
Main Card
Middleweight: Anthony Hernandez def. Roman Dolidze via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:45 of R4
Bantamweight: Steve Erceg def. Ode’ Osbourne via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Women’s strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Featherweight: Andre Fili def. Christian Rodriguez via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Bantamweight: Jean Matsumoto def. Miles Johns via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Eryk Anders via TKO (spinning back elbow and punches) at 3:53 of R1 | Watch finish
Preliminary Card
Light heavyweight: Julius Walker def. Rafael Cerqueira via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Bantamweight: Elijah Smith def. Toshiomi Kazama via KO (slam) at 4:10 of R1 | Read more
Women’s bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards def. Priscila Cachoeira via KO (punches) at 2:24 of R1 | Watch finish
Welterweight: Uroš Medić def. Gilbert Urbina via KO (punch) at 1:03 of R1 | Watch finish
Women’s flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes def. Julija Stoliarenko via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Light heavyweight: Eric McConico def. Cody Brundage via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
