LAS VEGAS – Alexander Hernandez expects 2025 to be a pivotal year for him and his career.
A polarizing figure who has been through ups and downs since he burst onto the UFC scene in 2018, Hernandez (15-8 MMA, 7-7 UFC) hopes consistency and frequency lead to opportunity.
“I would love an active year but that’s also going to fall on my shoulders of just getting some f*cking some consistent dubs for once,” Hernandez told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “If we can do that, then yeah, we can have the year we want. That’s what I’m looking to do: show out or shut up.”
Hernandez, 32, returns Saturday at UFC Fight Night 254 (ESPN+) against “TUF 31” winner Kurt Holobaugh (22-8 MMA, 2-5 UFC). The lightweight bout takes place on the main card.
“I like the offer,” Hernandez said. “It’s a pretty familiar form. He’s more unique than the other guys, but familiar. I like the odds of that kind of matchup.”
A longtime member of Factory X, Hernandez has done a couple of training camps as part of a newly-formed faction, working out of UFC Gym Lone Tree in Lone Tree, Colo. The exact reason for his departure from his former gym is unclear, but teammates Brandon Royval and Luis Gurule are among those who went with him. Hernandez said some of his flaws have been improved since the switch.
“We’re in a really cool fold right now,” Hernandez said. “Me, Brandon Royval, and Clay Matza started our own group. We still kind of have an anonymous name right now with the boys. We’ve got great energy. We have about three other cats in there with us. We’ve just been really focusing on each other and specifically what we need to win a specific fight and then just also our specific growth. I feel like it’s really made a great turn.
“I’ve also had the fortune of working with Pastor Trevor Whittman a couple times a week. A few hours with thqt guy makes a world of difference. I really feel like I’ve been able to evolve significantly in the last six months and still find growth at this stage – and a lot of enthusiasm. That’s just kind of the nature of it. If you can be enthusiastic about what you’re doing, then you can find growth. That’s where I’m at.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.
