Hernandez wants 'super f------ embellished' Makhachev after UFC 249
Warning: Story contains coarse language
Although Alex Hernandez won't be fighting Islam Makhachev at UFC 249, "The Great" is still hoping to take Makhachev down a peg.
"After this fight, I'll look to (fight) Islam Makhachev (next), unless there's a more suitable (opponent)," Hernandez told theScore. "I think those (AKA fighters) are all tough, but they're super fucking embellished. And I think he's riding this coattail and taking this pseudo-glory off his teammate Khabib (Nurmagomedov)."
Hernandez added: "I'm like, 'Why the fuck do you have this hype?' ... These guys have all fought nobodies climbing the ladder. Maybe some guys that were somebody, but they're not now, they're a little past their prime. I never got any (of) those fun opportunities (fighting lesser opponents), I never got the highlight reels."
Hernandez (11-2) was scheduled to fight Makhachev at UFC 249 before travel restrictions kept the Russian out of the event. The 27-year-old Hernandez will now battle Omar Morales (9-0).
Prior to the change, Makhachev was favored over Hernandez, which confused the St. Louis native.
"It's like, dude, where did you (get) this general clout from beating nobody?" Hernandez said. "And why would he be a (betting favorite) over me, anyway? Because he's buddies with Khabib? That shit doesn't make any sense to me. I want to win, I want to be a champion, but I want to do it historically."
Hernandez hasn't competed since a July 2019 victory over Francisco Trinaldo, where the Ohana Jiu-Jitsu product revealed he fought with a shoulder injury. Now fully recovered, Hernandez believes we'll see a different version of him at UFC 249.
"Entering this fight, with what I thought was going to be Islam, I just knew no matter what, win or lose, (my opponent) is going to face the best version of myself," he said. "As long as I deliver on that, I'm fucking good. Because that's what I'm going to do on April 18, it doesn't matter if (Makhachev is) not there. Omar Morales, God bless him for stepping up, but ... that's going to suck (for him)."
UFC 249 is set for April 18 at an undisclosed location. Reports suggest the event could take place on tribal land in California.