“Fluffy” may not be the most intimidating nickname in the world, but it is one that has stuck with Anthony Hernandez since the day he began his MMA training.
The Middleweight fighter began training in MMA as a 15-year-old, dropping out of high school to chase his dream of becoming a professional fighter.
After a successful amateur career, Anthony Hernandez earned a spot on the second season of Dana White’s Contender Series, earning a contract with the UFC in what was “Fluffy’s” big break.
While having a nickname as cute and cuddly as “Fluffy”, it hasn’t held the UFC Middleweight star back in his career as he prepares for the UFC Vegas 109 main event against Roman Dolidze.
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Why is Anthony Hernandez nicknamed ‘Fluffy’?
The nickname “Fluffy” is one that Anthony Hernandez was given as a teenager when he was just starting out in MMA.
The 31-year-old was a much bigger figure when he first walked into an MMA gym, weighing upwards of 250 lbs, a far cry from his slim 185 Middleweight frame he fights at in the UFC.
In an interview with ESPN in 2020, Hernandez admitted that he gained the name due to his weight, which he eventually lost as he progressed in his training.
His coaches began calling him “Fluffy” in the gym before jokingly telling him to use it during his debut fight. Hernandez liked the name and kept it, arguing that nobody wants to lose to a guy named Fluffy.
“Apparently, I earned mine 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.” Hernandez said.
“It’s easy to remember. It’s catchy. No one expects it.”
Most nicknames are used to intimidate your opponent, evoking a sense of danger or destruction as soon as a man walks into the ring. Fluffy does not quite do that, although it hasn’t held Hernandez back in his fighter career so far.
Chael Sonnen doesn’t think anything about Anthony Hernandez is ‘Fluffy’
One man who simply does not understand why Hernandez is called Fluffy is former UFC star and loudmouth broadcaster Chael Sonnen.
On his YouTube channel, Sonnen questioned why anybody would call Hernandez fluffy, as there is very little about him in the octagon that the UFC legend would equate to being fluffy.
He then questioned (correctly) whether or not it was a jab at Hernandez’s weight at one point, which he saw as a negative thing to say about him.
Sonnen said: “Whoever walked into practice the first day and informed Anthony Hernandez that his nickname is going to be ‘Fluffy’… like, where on Earth would that come from?
“Where on Earth would anybody… what about him is ‘Fluffy’? That’s like a fabric softener.
“Think of the things you associate with the word ‘fluffy’: something that smells good, something soft. Maybe a blanket. Maybe a towel that comforts you.
“It’s a tremendous insult if you call somebody ‘Fluffy’ in terms of body type. It’s like a fancy word for getting away with calling somebody fat, which nobody, of any gender or age, wants to be called.”
Sonnen was known as “The Bad Guy” in the UFC, which is a much more intimidating nickname than “Fluffy”.