Introduction
Sunday, March 16th, American bantamweight prospect Roberto Hernandez will be in action for Cage Warriors, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Liam Gittins. He will be looking for another win, as Hernandez looks to inch closer to a contract with the UFC. He represents Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Grappling from the Top: Hernandez trains with Joe Stevenson, so obviously his jiu-jitsu is going to be a strength. Hernandez is talented off his back and defensively, but he’s a problem to deal with on the mat when he’s in top position. He’s very heavy on top and has strong ground-and-pound. In addition, he’s a gifted submission fighter, even if he only has two finishes. He’s very sound fundamentally and does not make many mistakes.
Size/Strength: I have seen Hernandez fight at featherweight (145 pounds), which is a weight class above his bantamweight endeavors. Hernandez looked strong there. Fighting at 135 pounds, including his current fight here, Hernandez is a solid size for the weight class and has underrated physical strength. It aids him in controlling his opponents on the mat, which we mentioned before is a strength.
Needs Improvement
Extended Striking/Complacency: Hernandez has strong striking, but his obvious advantage is on the mat. Not only that, his striking continues to improve. That said, he doesn’t like to spend a ton of time on the feet without looking to engage on the ground. He was knocked out by Jesse Strader early in his pro career in a fight he wanted on the mat but had to fight on the feet more than he was comfortable. Luckily, time has passed since then and he’s gotten better in that aspect.
Outlook
UFC Midcarder: Hernandez is clearly a talented guy, and having a Cage Warriors title over your shoulder is going to get you attention from the UFC. Hernandez does have a little bit decision-heavy of a record, which could be a bit of a turn-off. However, he’s there talent-wise and would fit on the UFC roster whenever the company is ready to call him up. Getting his eighth win as a Cage Warriors roster member would be a great next step, which he will try to do against Liam Gittins. A win there should warrant an invite from the UFC.
MMA Intel 