Alex Hernandez will be the first to tell you, he didn’t expect to get Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone as his next opponent. Speaking with MMANews, Hernandez divulged that he plans to seize the opportunity when the pair square off at UFC on ESPN+1 on Jan. 19.

“I’m just as dumbfounded as the rest of the world.” Hernandez explained. “I’m just happy to be in this position. I’m sure as s**t as always going to make the most of it. Last I heard [Cerrone] was talking about fighting McGregor, this and that. It’s like how the hell do you go from that to me?”

Hernandez (10-1) has already picked up wins over Beneil Dariush and Olivier Aubin-Mercier in the UFC. Despite fighting a more notable opponent, Hernandez is treating “Cowboy” as just another fighter in the cage.

“I’m going to break him like everyone else. I have the style, I have the game and it doesn’t really change. I’m becoming more in tune with my own personal cadence. It’s always about looking inwards and delivering outward. For me I always see myself breaking my opponents and knocking them unconscious. Now, especially after that Olivier Aubin-Mercier fight, a lot of awareness was brought to the table, a lot of humility as well. Approaching this fight I intend to finish Cerrone, in my most honest opinion I intent to finish him in the first round. If it goes to the second, great, if it goes to the third fine he’ll be a broken man by that third round. But I’m preparing for the longest war of my life with the mindset I can put him away quickly. I know wholeheartedly I can.”

UFC on ESPN+ 1 takes place Jan. 19 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Flyweight champion Henry Cejudo defends his title against bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in the main event.

Who do you see winning between Alex Hernandez and Donald Cerrone?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 12/21/2018.