Anthony Hernandez will face off against the newcomer, Josh Fremd at UFC 273 this weekend.
The fighters will lock fists on April 10 in the preliminary card of UFC 273 in the middleweight category. Both opponents are 28 years old, during their professional careers they have held 11 with the same number of defeats.
While it’s a somewhat short-notice bout for Fremd, Hernandez wasn’t on the card originally either. Both men will be looking to make an impression and secure a dominant victory.
Tale of the Tape
Anthony Hernandez | Josh Fremd | |
Record | 8-2 (1 NC) | 9-2 |
Height | 6’0″ | 6’4″ |
Weight | 186 lbs. | 185.5 lbs. |
Reach | 75″ | 76″ |
Age | 28 | 28 |
Anthony Hernandez vs. Josh Fremd: Fight Breakdown
Anthony Hernandez had his most recent win via submission against Rodolfo Viera with a guillotine. He is mostly skilled in grappling. And with six of his pro wins coming via submission, he surely is best when he’s able to turn fights into grappling matches,
He is not known to be the best striker for his below average volume and accuracy. Defensively, he absorbs a lot of shots while hunting takedowns. Hernandez has a fairly shorter height for the weight class, which could come into play here. His reach is fine, but he’s a fairly slender 6-footer who looks as if he could probably make to the welterweight division easily.
On the other hand, Josh Fremd is a wrestler. But that is no advantage for him in this fight. He has above-average power and very solid on the mat, due to his offensive wrestling.
Even though he is the better striker in this bout, his striking defense has some holes. His lack of head movement makes him an extremely hittable target. In his previous matches that weakness has been exploited and in such a big league such as UFC, that factor could change the whole fight.
Given his wrestling background, it might give him some average takedown defense. But it is very unlikely to see him winning against a close fight against Hernandez, the superior grappler, on the ground.
Who will win between Anthony Hernandez and Josh Fremd?
Looking at this fight, it’s fair to say that Fremd will have both the height and reach advantage over Hernandez. Fremd is pretty clearly the superior striker though, and his size advantage should allow him to keep things at a solid distance.
But the wrestling in this sport has been proven to be a fight-changing element in recent years. While, it is unclear about Fremd’s grappling ability, I would be surprised if he gets his debut win against Hernandez.
On the other hand, Hernandez possesses the power and technique to expose the poor defense of Fremd. Hernandez is the more accomplished fighter here, with the odds favoring him over the debutant. His grappling and the art of submission are solid. But he has been called a poor cardio fighter before.
With that being said, Fremd’s best chance is his ability to wrestle. However, I suspect that Hernandez will control the fight from the takedown and look to put Fremd away through a submission.
Prediction: Anthony Hernandez via submission