Hernandez Reveals Holland-Style UFC Plan After Debut

UFC newcomer Luis Hernandez plans to compete in two weight classes as he builds his profile following a first-round submission victory in his promotional debut.

Hernandez earned his UFC contract with a submission win on Dana White's Contender Series earlier this month, then accepted a short-notice bout against Sedriques Dumas at UFC Vegas 121 on just two days' preparation, according to Sherdog. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputy finished Dumas with a guillotine choke in under a minute, collecting a $100,000 performance bonus for the effort.

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Hernandez Plans Middleweight And Welterweight Campaign

The 30-year-old told the Deep Waters podcast he intends to fight primarily at middleweight while dropping to welterweight when opportunities arise. His UFC debut came at heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight due to the late-notice circumstances, but Hernandez said he wants to follow Kevin Holland's path of staying active across two divisions before turning his focus to championship runs.

"I'm a company man," Hernandez said on the podcast. "I'm gonna make the fights happen. Any weight class you call me, I'm about that money... I want to pull a Kevin Holland and do both 170 and 185. I do want to go up the rankings, but I want to become first a household name."

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Dana White's Contender Series, Season 10, Week 8 on Ticketmaster →

Hernandez holds a 9-0 record with all nine victories coming by stoppage. The unbeaten fighter said he prioritizes building name recognition over immediate title contention as he enters the UFC roster.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — UFC newcomer Luis Hernandez wants to ‘pull a Kevin Holland’