While no stranger to viral moments, fighter Luis Hernandez recently experienced something unprecedented during an event in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Competing at Tuff-N-Uff 145, Hernandez defeated Miles Hunsinger in the second round via submission in a middleweight bout. Towards the very end of securing the guillotine choke, Hernandez directed words and gestures, including sticking out his tongue, towards Hunsinger`s corner, which notably included former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and fighter Chris Curtis. After securing the tap, Hernandez celebrated by performing the D-Generation X crotch chop gesture aimed at Strickland and Curtis.
This controversial celebration prompted both Strickland and Curtis to enter the cage, with Strickland physically confronting Hernandez and throwing punches. The intense moment quickly went viral across social media platforms. Hernandez shared that tension had already begun brewing even during the walkouts.
“So when I saw them walking out from their corner, I noticed they looked at me and they laughed,” Hernandez told MMA Fighting. “They said something… and they started laughing at me. And I was like, man, I`m not a joke. I believe I am the real deal. I`ve got 11 fights, six pro fight finishes now and five finishes in amateur.”
He speculated that they might have dismissed him as “just a cop,” leading him to feel disrespected by their laughter. He decided he wanted “the last laugh” and emphasizes that his actions were part of an effort to have fun. He expressed genuine surprise at how quickly things escalated physically, stating he didn`t expect the confrontation at all.
Hernandez explained that the reason for sticking out his tongue stemmed from a specific comment Strickland made while the submission was being applied.
“I believe I heard, ‘Oh, he’s tired, his arms are going to blow out,’” Hernandez recalled. “And I’m like, ‘No, I’m not,’ [then] blow the kiss and I did the tongue.” He believes many people underestimate him and his capabilities, asserting that he is “the real deal” and was able to show it.
Despite hearing other comments, Hernandez remained focused on his opponent, Miles Hunsinger, whom he praised as a tough fighter who took the bout on short notice. Hernandez reiterated that he enjoyed the moment of taunting but genuinely didn`t anticipate Strickland reacting so personally, especially given Strickland`s own well-known reputation for trash talk within the sport.
Immediately after securing the victory and making the celebratory gesture towards Strickland and Curtis, the chaotic scene unfolded: Strickland stormed the cage and threw punches. Referee Chris Tognoni quickly intervened to separate them, while Curtis initially restrained Hernandez, reportedly telling him, `Don`t do that,` before Hernandez pushed him away.
Hernandez admitted he was completely taken aback by the level of anger displayed by Strickland and didn`t expect the situation at all.
“I was like, `What’s going on here? Is this a reality TV show?`,” Hernandez recounted, comparing the bizarre scene to the spontaneous fights sometimes seen on the Russian version of The Ultimate Fighter.
Despite the incident, Hernandez stated he actually likes Sean Strickland and genuinely didn`t expect the situation to escalate physically, especially considering his own profession outside of fighting. He questioned why Strickland would throw punches at someone “for I don’t know what reason,” highlighting his surprise. Hernandez confirmed that he was hit (“he hit me and I’m still standing. I’m still smiling, still look good”), noting that most marks on his face were from the fight itself, attributing maybe one to Strickland. He then expressed willingness to fight Strickland in a sanctioned bout “for money.”
He reiterated his readiness for a potential sanctioned fight against Strickland for financial gain, stating, “If me and Strickland want to fight for money, I’ll do it for money.” While he wasn`t expecting an unsanctioned altercation, he confirmed he would “100 percent” be open to a legitimate future matchup.
Beyond his career as a professional fighter, Hernandez serves in a special tactical response unit for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Department. The 28-year-old fighter`s goal is to become a successful welterweight in the UFC while continuing his important work as a police officer.
While this highly-viewed moment involving a well-known UFC fighter will undoubtedly attract attention, Hernandez expressed that he doesn`t want it to negatively impact Strickland and Curtis` careers. He specifically hopes the Nevada Athletic Commission will not issue any punishment.
“I think things escalated to a point where they shouldn’t have,” Hernandez stated, emphasizing his concern for the other fighters` careers. He views the incident as “squashed” from his perspective, holding “no bias against anybody from that corner, that team,” even mentioning Xtreme Couture positively and joking that he had briefly considered training there.
He reiterated, “I really have nothing towards them, and hope the commission does not…” He confirmed that when asked if he wanted to press charges after the incident, he refused, stating he would “never want anything to happen to these guys because I actually like them.” He expressed hope that Strickland and Curtis would see his comments, stressing again he has “nothing against Sean, nothing against Chris, nothing against Xtreme Couture.”
Concluding, he stated, “I would say we’re all adults here, and I have nothing against them,” repeating his hope that the commission wouldn`t penalize them, adding, “at the end of the day, we’re all professionals and this is entertainment.”
