HOUSTON – Alexander Hernandez is ready to return, and he’s mapped out a plan that gets him to the top.
Ever since getting back to the win column with a win over Francisco Trinaldo last July, Hernandez (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has been sidelined with a shoulder injury. But now at 100 percent, he’s looking for an active 2020.
“I want three fights,” Hernandez told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Thursday. “I mean, time is (expletive) ticking. I want to get a fight by March, April, another one in summer then one by the end of the year. Three fights, put me on that title shot, 2021.”
Hernandez stormed onto the UFC scene with an upset knockout win over Beneil Dariush in March 2018. He followed that with a win over another streaking lightweight at the time, Olivier Aubin-Mercier, but saw his momentum take a major hit with a TKO loss to Donald Cerrone in January 2019.
After bouncing back with a win over Trinaldo, Hernandez has his sights set on a top-ranked 155 pounder.
“So I’m looking at (Gregor) Gillespie, (Diego) Ferreira, Islam (Makhachev), Al Iaquinta, who I hear is off the grid,” Hernandez said. “I’m naming everybody who’s not booked in the top 10.
“I’ve been shooting for Al for a while. I don’t know if I heard anything back. I called out (Anthony) Pettis before that last fight. Now Ferreira won, so I’m looking at … I’d like to fight Ferreira.”
