Luis Hernandez, a fighter and law enforcement officer, improved to 6-0 with a submission victory in Las Vegas, which led to a viral altercation involving Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis after Hernandez celebrated provocatively, but he hopes no repercussions follow for the involved fighters.
Luis Hernandez found himself in another viral moment, but Sunday’s events in Las Vegas took things to a whole new level. Hernandez improved his record to 6-0 with a second-round submission win over Miles Hunsinger at Tuff-N-Uff 145. As the fight neared its end, Hernandez locked in a guillotine, glanced at Hunsinger’s corner, said something, and cheekily stuck out his tongue. He then cranked the submission, securing the tap, and celebrated with the iconic D-Generation X crotch chop directed at Hunsinger’s cornermen, Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis.
The aftermath was explosive. Both Strickland and Curtis stormed the cage, with Strickland throwing punches. Social media lit up with the incident. Hernandez explained that tensions were simmering from the walkouts. “When I saw them, they laughed at me,” Hernandez told MMA Fighting. “I thought, ‘I’m not a joke. I’m the real deal.'”
He continued, “They probably thought, ‘Oh yeah, this guy’s a cop,’ and laughed. I decided I’d get the last laugh. I was having a great time. Inside the cage, I can have fun. It’s my passion.” At work, Hernandez is all business as a law enforcement officer, but in the cage, he flips a switch. “I didn’t expect things to escalate. I was just laughing, thinking, ‘OK, I guess this is happening.'”
Asked about his tongue-out gesture, Hernandez said it was a response to a comment from Strickland. “I heard, ‘Oh, he’s tired, his arms are going to blow out.’ I was like, ‘No, I’m not,’ then blew a kiss and stuck my tongue out.” Hernandez wanted to show he’s the real deal, capable of surprises. He respected Hunsinger, who took the fight on short notice. “I didn’t think he’d take it personally. It was all in fun.”
After the fight, Strickland charged the cage, and chaos ensued. Referee Chris Tognoni intervened, while Curtis maintained a collar-tie. Hernandez recalled Curtis saying, “Don’t do that,” before Hernandez pushed him away. “Seeing Strickland coming at me like that wasn’t on my bingo card,” Hernandez joked. “I felt like I was in a reality TV show.”
He confessed, “I like Sean Strickland. I didn’t expect it to escalate. I’m a professional fighter and a cop. You’re swinging on me for what? I wasn’t expecting that at all.” Hernandez shrugged off the punches, saying, “I’m still standing, still smiling. If it were sanctioned, I’d fight him for money.”
Hernandez, part of a tactical response unit for Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Department, aims to succeed in the UFC while maintaining his police role. Despite the viral moment, he hopes it doesn’t impact Strickland and Curtis’ careers. “I don’t want anything to happen to them. We’re all professionals. I have no bias against their team. Xtreme Couture is great.”
Hernandez added, “I hope the commission doesn’t punish them. I have nothing against Sean, Chris, or Xtreme Couture. We’re adults, and this is entertainment.”