“Fluffy” may not be the most intimidating nickname in the world, but it is one that has stayed with Anthony Hernandez since the day he started his MMA training.
The middle weight hunter started training in MMA as a 15-year-old and stopped high school to chase his dream to become a professional hunter.
After a successful amateur career, Anthony Hernandez earned a place in the second season of the Contender Series of Dana White and earned a contract with the UFC in what was “fluffy's”.
Although he has a nickname as cute and cuddly as “airy”, it did not keep the UFC middle weight in his career while preparing for the UFC Vegas 109 Main Event against Roman Dolidze.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Why is Anthony Hernandez the nickname 'Fluffy'?
The nickname “Fluffy” is one that Anthony Hernandez got as a teenager when he just started in MMA.
The 31-year-old was a much larger figure when he first entered an MMA sports school, with a weight of 250 pounds, far away from his slender 185 middle weight frame where he is fighting in the UFC.
In an interview with ESPN in 2020, Hernandez admitted that he was given the name because of his weight, which he eventually lost when he progressed in his training.
His coaches began to call him “fluffy” in the gym before he told him jokes to use it during his debut fight. Hernandez loved the name and loved it, with the argument that no one wants to lose from a man named Fluffy.
'Apparently I earned mine as a thick A -. It is f- but it worked. Nobody likes to lose a man called 'Fluffy'. So I assume it. “Said Hernandez.
“It's easy to remember. It's catchy. Nobody expects it.”
Most nicknames are used to intimidate your opponent, so that a feeling of danger or destruction is evoked as soon as a man walks into the ring. Fluffy does not do that entirely, although the Hernandez has not kept his hunting career so far.
Chael Sonnen does not think about Anthony Hernandez is 'fluffy'
A man who just doesn't understand why Hernandez is called Fluffy is the former UFC star and Loudmouth -broadcaster Chael Sonnen.
On his YouTube channel, Sonen wondered why someone would call Hernandez Fluffy, because there is very little to him in the Octagon that the UFC legend corresponds to fluffy.
Then he (correctly) asked if it was a shot in the weight of Hernandez at some point that he saw as a negative thing about him.
Sonnen said: “Whoever walked into practice the first day and Anthony Hernandez informed that his nickname will be 'fluffy' … like, where on earth would that come from?
“Where on earth someone would … what about him is 'fluffy'? That is 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 is a huge insult if you call someone 'fluffy' in terms of body type. It is like a chic word to get away with the name of someone's fat that no one wants to be called of any gender or age.”
Sonnen was known as “The Bad Guy” in the UFC, which is a much intimidating nickname than “Fluffy”.