Alexander Hernandez pulled off a stunning first-round finish on the UFC 319 prelims.
It was a buzzer-beating TKO stoppage in the opening frame for Hernandez (17-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC), who found Chase Hooper’s chin to end their lightweight bout at 4:58.
Hooper came forward throughout the round, offering a variety of kicks and spinning attacks. Hernandez stayed light on his feet, defensively sound, and struck when he saw an opening. He found a home for the right hand that dropped Hooper (16-4-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC), and the follow-up punches prompted referee Jason Herzog to stop the fight just before the round ended.
Check out video of the finish below (via Instagram):
With the win, Hernandez extends his winning streak to three, as he entered following decision wins over Austin Hubbard and Kurt Holobaugh. During his post fight interview, Hernandez didn’t have a name ready to call out, but he wanted a spot on the Noche UFC card, which takes place in his hometown of San Antonio on Sept. 13.
Hooper sees his five-fight winning streak come to an end. His previous loss was also a first-round TKO stoppage against Steve Garcia in October 2022.
