Alexander Hernandez is one of few fighters in the UFC who have traveled roads other than MMA. He has greatly impressed the world of mixed martial arts with his performance. ‘The Great Ape’ has amassed 14 phenomenal victories in his professional MMA record, and what’s more impressive is that he has 7 first-round finishes to his name. After winning 3 fights in the featherweight division, Hernandez stepped into the lightweight realm and continued to display his fighting skills.

With a rise in popularity, ‘The Great Ape’ raised the curiosity of the fighting community regarding his personal life. Today, let’s shine some light on the 32-year-old mixed martial artist’s story, and learn how he found his way to the MMA cage. So without any further ado, let’s dive right into it!

Where is Alexander Hernandez from? Ethnicity and nationality

Born on 1st October 1992 in St. Louis, Missouri, the American mixed martial artist makes his countrymen proud with his awe-striking performance in the Octagon. The lightweight fighter was just 13 years old when he uncovered the world of martial arts calling him in. Hernandez began his journey with wrestling and soon traveled to other fight forms, like BJJ and Muay Thai. ‘The Great Ape’ graduated from Reagan High School, and later got himself a degree in Business Finance from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Needless to say, the college degree helped him secure his career and realize that his true calling was in an arena. Talking to the UFC, Hernandez said, “Out of college, I severely tore my MCL and meniscus. I decided I would use my degree while I recovered and began work as a Mortgage Loan Officer.” He continued, “I balanced the two for 3.5 years, then after a quarter life crisis decided I needed to focus entirely on fighting. I quit my job at the start of the year and lo and behold here we are.”

The lightweight contender was always inclined towards MMA. After all, he looked up to great fighters like Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, TJ Dillashaw, and Dominick Cruz. And in October 2012, Hernandez decided to step into the Octagon under the banner of Kicka** Productions and earned himself a win via unanimous decision. He went on to compete in Hero FC, LFA, and RFA, before finally stepping into the Ultimate Fighting Championship against Beneil Dariush and defeating him with a first-round finisher. Pretty impressive, don’t you think?

But leaving that aside, one often wonders about the place and the people who molded Hernandez into the kind of fighter that he is today. And that credit goes to the Factor X Muay Thai gym.

Where does Alexander Hernandez train? Gym and coach

Located in Englewood, Colorado, Factory X Muay Thai, or Factory X MMA BJJ was founded in 2009. It is indeed the same gym where ‘Lionheart’ Anthony Smith trains. Some other well-known prospects who train at Factory X Muay Thai are Zak Cummings, Brandon Rovyal, and Cody Brundage.

And the man who trained him? It’s none other than Professor Jason Yerrington. Prof. Yerrington is indeed a black belt in BJJ and learned the art from Luiz Sergio ‘Marra’ Corea. Even though Prof. Yerrington initially played basketball for the University of Incarnate Word, he found his passion for martial arts once he was done with collegiate athletics. Inside the MMA cage, he has won 2 bouts and faced defeat in 1. But when it comes to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Prof. Yerrington has a massive collection of accolades.

Is Alexander Hernandez married?

According to various reports, Hernandez is married to Amanda Hernandez. No doubt, his wife has been one of the pivotal figures who supported him in his martial arts journey. However, the exact dates of their wedding and dating history are something that Hernandez has never really revealed. And ‘The Great Ape’ is yet to become a father.

As far as the LW contender’s family is concerned, he looks at his father, grandfather, and uncle as his heroes. He once said, “They are workhorses and have always set the example that hard work can accomplish anything. My father has done a tremendous job in instilling an unprecedented level of determination and confidence in what we are capable of. I love him dearly for the man he has helped shape me to be.” However, nothing much is known about Hernandez’s parents, except the fact that he is pretty proud of his family.

Now, let’s put some light on Hernandez’s moniker. Why exactly is he known as ‘The Great Ape’? Let’s find out!

Meaning behind Alexander Hernandez’s nickname ‘The Great Ape’

During a conversation on ‘Festivities With KB & Renato Laranja’, Hernandez was asked about his nickname. While one of the hosts of the show initially knew that Hernandez was called Alexander ‘The Great’, she was left curious regarding the ‘Ape’ in his moniker. And the lightweight fighter’s response was simply because he felt like it.

But then he went on, “You know, one time I was looking at that little emoji, you know. The little orangutan. I was like, dude, that’s f***ing me! That guy is me!” Nevertheless, ‘The Great Ape’ was met with admiration, even though he believed that he apparently looked like an orangutan. 

Now, the San Antonio resident is all set to face Austin Hubbard at UFC 307. No doubt, Hernandez aims at turning his 2-fight losing streak upside down at Delta Center on the 5th of October, 2024. 

What are your thoughts on ‘The Great Ape’ as a fighter? Do you think his skills will help him win the bout at Salt Lake City against Hubbard? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.