It did not come without inevitable controversy, but Alex Hernandez is back in the win column after a unanimous decision win over Francisco Trinaldo at UFC San Antonio.
Fighters at opposite ends of their careers shared the Octagon when Alex Hernandez and Francisco Trinaldo met at UFC San Antonio. The 26-year-old Alex Hernandez had impressed in his previous three UFC fights, defeating Beneil Dariush and Olivier Aubin-Mercier, before losing to Donald Cerrone last January. He got another tough test in the 40-year-old Trinaldo, who’s been in the promotion since June of 2012.
Trinaldo is one of the most underrated lightweights in UFC history, once holding a seven-fight winning streak in one of the deepest divisions in the promotion. He had since cooled off, going 2-2 in his most recent four fights ahead of UFC San Antonio. Those losses came to James Vick and Kevin Lee, a couple of other proven veterans. If Hernandez wanted to put himself in that category, he’d have to succeed where many had failed: defeating Trinaldo.
Round 1
Round one got underway between the two lightweights, and Trinaldo was the one to draw first blood with a right hand off the first exchange. Hernandez looped a wide and hanging overhand but ultimately was led astray by Trinaldo. Both men felt each other out for 90 seconds and counting to begin this encounter, Hernandez assuming the role of matador circling around the Octagon. There wasn’t much action throughout the chess match that resembled the opening stanza, and Trinaldo landed a big counter right hand in the middle of the inactivity. He followed up that counter with another one on the heels of a high kick attempt from Hernandez, as the two lightweights approached 30 ticks to go in round one. Trinaldo was given a warning near the end of the round to keep his kicks up above the mid-section, and round one drew to a close shortly thereafter.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Trinaldo
Round 2
The second round got underway with Hernandez opening the festivities with a front kick to no avail for the native Texan. Trinaldo had continued to look for the counter, while Hernandez had been the most stubborn of dance partners in that regard. Hernandez attempted the first takedown of the fight just over two minutes into the round, and he seemed to have a good read on it but Trinaldo ultimately spun out of the interlocked grip of Hernandez. Three minutes came and went in the second round without much of a sequence of the entertaining variety, both guys continuously waved strike after strike towards each other to no greater effect. Hernandez and Trinaldo continued to stalk each other for the remainder of the round, and Hernandez landed so much as a kick to the body if anything to draw the opening 10 minutes into its closing sequence.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Trinaldo
Round 3
Round three continued to unfold more of the same narrative that had been previously imminent throughout. Just over a minute into the round Hernandez got a hold of Trinaldo and locked on to the Brazilian in the clinch against the cage, however, Trinaldo only spent a mere amount of moments in that position before breaking free. Trinaldo came right back with a high kick, and it partially landed, however, the Brazilian slipped as a result leaving Hernandez room to crash in and look for his opening. The 19-fight UFC veteran Trinaldo however, was savvy as ever at 40-years old, as he was able to get back to his feet before Hernandez could capitalize. Hernandez landed a kick to the body just as the 90-second mark passed by, and Trinaldo hunted on the prowl in search of his own string of consistent offense. The two exchanged heavy blows, and Trinaldo got the better of it with a big right hand. In the closing moments, the two lightweights did their best to plant down in the center and end with a bang, but both fighters once again failed to score any significant damage, and UFCSan Antonio headed back to the scorecards as a result.
Cageside Press scores the round 10-9 for Alex Hernandez, and the fight 29-28 for Trinaldo
Result: Alex Hernandez def. Francisco Trinaldo by Unanimous Decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
Check out the rest of the results from UFC San Antonio here!
