Rafa Garcia kept his momentum rolling at UFC Fight Night 274 in Las Vegas, defeating Alex Hernandez by unanimous decision on the main card to earn his third straight UFC victory.
The Mexican lightweight veteran, now 19-4 in MMA and 7-4 in the UFC, outworked Hernandez (18-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC) over three rounds at the Meta Apex to continue what he describes as the best run of his UFC career.
Garcia pointed directly to a mental transformation as the key to his surge. "My mentality's changed a lot right now," he said. "Every time I go in there, I've just got to be that mean person, you know? I feel like a lot of people, when I'm in the gym and everything, tell me, 'Oh, you're so nice.' Like, 'Rafa's such a nice guy.' But I had to turn that switch up and every time I go in there, I've got to be mean – the meanest person ever. I don't talk a lot. I don't talk a lot of crap. But when it's time to show, I feel like I show. I go out there, and I'm not afraid to get in a war, just make it dirty. And I love a war. I love it so much."
"I'm just happy – happy with my performance, happy with the result," Garcia added, emphasizing the kind of fight he wanted to deliver. "I feel that I gave what the people wanted to see – a great war, a great fight and a bloody fight. I'm just happy. I love a street fight. I love the war. I love all this. It was definitely a fight that everybody was looking forward to."
