Anthony Hernandez nickname origin: Why is the UFC middleweight known as 'Fluffy'?

As a rising contender in the UFC middleweight division, Anthony Hernandez, also known as 'Fluffy,' has slowly gained traction with MMA fans amid his recent success.

Entering UFC 298 as the promotion's no. 14 ranked middleweight contender, fans have often wondered how Hernandez has earned the nickname 'Fluffy.' At 11-2 with one no-contest, the 30-year-old is anything but soft.

According to the wrestler, a former coach gave him the name 'Fluffy' prior to a kickboxing tournament. Weighing roughly 250 pounds at the time, the coach tagged the name on his arm with a marker.

Though Hernandez has come to terms with the fight moniker, he says the reason he was given the name originally was "f***** up."

Explaining the backstory of his nickname to ESPN, Anthony Hernandez said:

"Apparently, I earned mine [nickname] being a fat a**. It's f***** up, but it worked out. No one likes losing to a guy named 'Fluffy.' So I'll take it. It's easy to remember. It's catchy. No one expects it."

Hernandez wrote the name down in his professional MMA debut and the term has stuck with him ever since.

Fighting for the first time as a ranked contender, Hernandez will face Roman Kopylov on Feb. 17.

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UFC 298: Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov preview

Looking to add to his four-fight win streak at UFC 298, Anthony Hernandez will face fellow rising contender Roman Kopylov in the pay-per-view main card opener.

Having initially gained a significant amount of respect from fans for submitting BJJ ace Rodolfo Vieira in 2021, Hernandez most recently defeated former top-10 contender Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Vegas 73. Since debuting in 2014, Hernandez has also picked up significant wins over Brendan Allen and JunYong Park.

Also riding a four-fight win streak into the Feb. 17 event, Kopylov has finished each opponent since 2022 by knockout. Following his last win over Josh Fremd at Noche UFC, the Russian accepted this matchup as a replacement for Ikram Aliskerov.

After opening as a slight favorite, Hernandez has grown to a 2-1 betting favorite. Hernandez has not been an underdog since stepping in on short notice against Vieira, clearly earning the oddsmakers' respect with his signature upset win.