EXCLUSIVE: KOTC champ Daniel Hernandez talks training, defending his belt and drug testing
- Amy Kaplan and Ian Butler
- Apr 22, 2015
- 5 min read
All photos by Amy Kaplan
King of the Cage Middleweight champ Daniel El Leon Hernandez (16-10) will be returning to the cage for the first time this year to defend his title. Hernandez became champ when he defeated Brandon Hunt via TKO (punches) early in round 1. He has defended his belt once already when he defeated Will Noland in round 1 via Armbar. Hernandez, 33, enters the cage on June 14 at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, CA to defend his title a second time. His opponent has not been announced yet.
In between his rigorous training session, running his own gym and being a father Hernandez sat down with us to talk training routine, his life with King of the Cage and his future goals.
Hernandez is coming off a four fight-winning streak, his most recent fight being Dec 2014. Since that bout he has focused on training and keeping in shape for his next title defense. He was scheduled to defend early in 2015 but tore his peck in training so the bout was postponed.
Competing is not a new thing for Hernandez who has been wrestling since he was just seven years old, but he still feels nervous before every fight.
“I am scared shitless before every single fight, I’ve fought over 30 something fights and every single fight I am scared. I’m never afraid of the fight, I am afraid of losing,” he said.
Hernandez described the feeling after weigh-ins when his hands start to tremble and he wants to sleep all day. He says he has to focus on staying calm and avoiding over thinking what he’s about to do. He went on to describe the hours before the fight saying he warms up really hard and then paces until it’s his turn in the cage.
“When I start to fight, that’s when it becomes fun. If you’re not scared there’s something wrong,” he said.
Hernandez wasn’t always on the path to MMA; he says that he almost tried for an Olympic medal instead. Having wrestled his entire life, including for Cal State Fullerton, the Olympics seemed like the next logical career choice. But after weighing the options he decided to go the MMA route in order to have more opportunities.
“I did some research to find some people to teach me stand up and started Muay Thai and went from there,” he said.
He makes it sound easy, but training for a fight takes a lot of work. Hernandez says he trains twice a day. First in the morning doing strength and conditioning, circuits or sprints then comes back to training at night doing the technical aspects like sparring and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He only takes one day off a week.
“All wrestlers have an advantage coming in to MMA, then it’s all a matter of learning your stand up,” Hernandez says.
He says that the combination of the two and knowing how and when to take advantage of each is what will make you deadly.
Hernandez recalls a time in the beginning of his career when he was paired with Tony Ferguson.
Of Hernandez’s 16 wins only one went to decision, and even more impressive is of those 15 finishes, 14 were in the first round. Hernandez, who now has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a black belt in Judo, is unstoppable in the ring.
“They (KOTC) wanted me to strike more, “ Hernandez said. “But I told them I was going to win how I could and to make me their Ronda Rousey,” he laughed.
He likes the quick finish, but understands that promoters and fans like to see a scrap.
“I just don’t have it in me to go the distance,” he said. “It’s in me to keep going, constant action. I’m going to get in there, take them down and choke them out. They’re not going to decision, someone’s going to break an arm.”
Things were not always easy with King of the Cage he admitted. They originally used Hernandez as a stepping-stone for other fighters, it was only after he told them he wanted a contract and wanted them to stand behind him that they stepped up and signed him.
“They used to call me when they needed me, and I finally told them I wanted a title shot,” he said. “They’ve been incredible ever since.”
He signed a five-fight contract, if he won four he’d get his title shot, and that’s just what happened.
“From there is just skyrocketed,” Hernandez said.
He continues to have the opportunity to fight for other promotions but has turned down a shot at Bellator in favor of King of the Cage. He says he might accept an offer from UFC more as a bucket list check mark and a foot in the door for the fighters he trains, but is content with where he’s at. He says the King of The Cage group is like a family and he genuinely likes the people.
Some of the greatest MMA athletes have come through the promotion including Dean Lister, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson.
Just because he’s not a part of the UFC (yet) doesn’t mean Hernandez hasn’t taken notice to some of the issues the organization has been having. He touched on the Reebok sponsorship that the UFC is implementing to all fighters.
“It’s great for the new guys coming in who might not have the sponsors helping them yet. But for the veterans who already have deals it’s not good,” he said. “It’s pretty messed up.”
He also had some thoughts on the recent drug tests failures in the UFC.
“I’ve been drug tested more this year then I have in my whole career,” he said.
He also feels sympathy for Anderson Silva who probably was given something by a doctor without even knowing it would test positive.
“Every professional athlete has probably used them. Anderson Silva was probably given something by a doctor. The thing is that the PEDs don’t make them stronger, it just allows them to train harder,” he said.
None of these issues seem large enough to keep him from the organization if they were to call of course.
When Hernandez isn’t training or fighting he owns and runs his own MMA facility in Monrovia, CA. The Vault is an underground (literally) gym that offers personal fitness, classes and pro training. Often Hernandez will bring his children to the gym in hopes that they will grow up knowing that MMA is a sport, and isn’t about anger. He says he wants his kids, especially his daughters, to not be afraid of a fight in case they are faced with having to defend themselves someday.
“When you are confronted on a street, things go bad because people are scared,” he said. “I don’t want them to be scared.”
Hernandez also coaches wrestling at the local high school, and helps coach his daughter’s softball team.
It seems as though Hernandez isn’t slowing anytime soon.
“I enjoy fighting. It’s what I do,” he said. “I can’t imagine not competing, but am I looking to be the UFC champ? No. I’m happy being the King Of The Cage champ.”
You can see Hernandez fight this June for King Of The Cage.
Information on the bout will be found here when available: www.kingofthecage.com.
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