At Tough It Up 145 in Las Vegas, Luis Hernandez found himself at the center of a viral moment that had nothing to do with his victory. After securing a guillotine finish against Miles Huninger in the second round, Hernandez stuck his tongue out at Sean Strickland’s corner, prompting the former UFC champion to storm the cage and throw punches at the victorious star.
Rather than harboring resentment, Hernandez has taken a surprisingly magnanimous stance toward the incident. “I hope the commission does not take this out on them at all because hey, this is at the end of the day, we’re all professionals and this is entertainment,” Hernandez stated in a recent interview. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputy emphasized his genuine respect for both Strickland and Chris Curtis, who was also involved in the altercation.
The confrontation began when Hernandez noticed Strickland’s corner laughing at him during the walkout. “They looked at me and they laughed, you know. They said something… and I was like, man, I’m not a joke,” Hernandez explained. During the fight, he heard comments from the corner about his arms getting tired, which prompted his tongue-out taunt while securing the submission.
What followed was unexpected even for Hernandez. “I was like, ‘What’s going on here? Is this a reality TV show?'” he recalled as Strickland charged toward him. Despite being on the receiving end of punches, Hernandez maintained his composure and has since reached out to make peace.
“I do hope that nothing happens to Shawn or Chris. You know, I like those guys. I really do,” Hernandez emphasized. He revealed that he and Strickland have already spoken privately about the incident, describing their conversation as two adults handling the situation maturely.
The 6-0 professional fighter, who works as a deputy sheriff in a specialized unit dealing with high-risk situations, put the cage altercation in perspective. “Every single day I work, I don’t know if I’m going to come back home,” he said, explaining why the incident didn’t faze him. “This was nothing inside the cage.”
Hernandez sees the viral moment as potentially career-defining, hoping it leads to UFC opportunities while maintaining his law enforcement career. “If the opportunity comes to fight Sean Strickland or Chris for money sanctioned in the UFC, I will take that fight,” he declared, showing he’s ready to turn controversy into opportunity.
