Top 15 middleweights are set to meet for the second time in their careers on February 22 in a huge fight for both men. Anthony Hernandez is one of the surging contenders at 185-pounds right now following his main event win over Michel Pereira last time out where his relentless output was the story of the fight once again.
His next opponent, Brendan Allen, was another one of of middleweight’s most in-form fighters until a recent loss to Nassourdine Imavov halted his winning streak. The two men first met all the way back in 2018 in a five-round fight that had a huge impact on their careers.
Hernandez got the win at LFA 32 and went on to receive an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series. Allen, on the other hand, secured a few more wins in order to bounce back and join his former foe in the UFC where he has been incredibly active to climb up the rankings quickly.
Hernandez recalls that his first fight with Allen was a tough outing and he gives his opponent a lot of respect for the improvements he had made over the past six years. However, as he revealed in a recent interview with Inside Fighting, he still believes that he will get his hand raised once again regardless of how much better Allen has become.
“I mean he called me out and it’s like all right well if you want to f****** run it back I mean it’s the perfect opportunity because obviously he’s ahead of me, he’s been healthy and he’s, well his last fight he lost, but he’s been winning and stuff and like the kid’s gotten so much f****** better. I just think I have his number, you know what I mean.”
