Ufc Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez Headlines Finish-Heavy Card at Toyota Center
The Ufc fight night in Houston unfolded at the Toyota Center with Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez booked as the middleweight main event and a card that produced several early stoppages and a string of unanimous and split decisions. The show carried immediate title implications for the winner in the main event and shifted betting narratives after an action-packed night.
Ufc Fight Night main event: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez
The middleweight main event paired former champion Sean Strickland (29-7) and contender Anthony Hernandez (15-2, 1 NC). Strickland, 34, returned after more than a year out of the cage following a loss in early February 2025 to Dricus du Plessis; he had won four of his past six bouts and six of his seven most recent UFC victories were decisions. Hernandez, 32 and a California native, entered on an eight-fight UFC winning streak dating to 2021, with six finishes that include stoppages of Roman Dolidze, Michel Pereira and Roman Kopylov. The matchup was positioned with potential title contention on the line and drew sharp betting attention: Hernandez was listed as a -275 favorite while Strickland carried a +225 price.
Toyota Center: start times and broadcast for the card
The event was staged at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Preliminary action began at 5 p. m. ET on Paramount+, and the main card started live at 8 p. m. ET on Paramount+ with no additional charge for subscribers.
Co-main result: Uros Medic knocks out Geoff Neal
The co-main welterweight bout ended quickly when Uros Medic (12-3) defeated Geoff Neal (16-7) by knockout from a punch at 1: 19 of the first round. The finish changed the complexion of the welterweight picture on the night and followed pre-fight buildup that had highlighted striking promise from both men.
Card results: Leal, Costa, Spivac, Smith, Pereira and others
The rest of the card produced a mix of early stoppages and decisions. Melquizael Costa defeated Dan Ige by technical knockout with a spinning back kick and punches at 4: 56 of the first round. Serghei Spivac won a unanimous decision over Ante Delija with judges' scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. Jacobe Smith scored a first-round knockout over Josiah Harrell with elbows and punches at 3: 01 of round one. Michel Pereira edged Zachary Reese by split decision, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28.
Carlos Leal prevailed over Chidi Njokuani by unanimous decision, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28. Alibi Idiris beat Ode Osbourne by unanimous decision, 29-28, 30-27, 30-27. Aldin Coria recorded a unanimous 30-27 sweep against Luis Gurule. In the women's bantamweight ranks, Jocelyne Edwards secured a submission by rear-naked choke over Nora Cornolle at 2: 44 of the second round. Punahele Soriano defeated Ramiz Brahimaj by split decision noted as 29-28 on all scorecards. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani won a split decision over Phil Rowe, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28.
Daniel Vithlani's picks, model history and a missed selection
MMA analyst Daniel Vithlani released odds-driven picks heading into the event and singled out Chidi Njokuani (+115) over Carlos Leal (-135) on the preliminary card. Vithlani, who launched his appearance with a 5-0 showing in January 2023 for UFC 283, is credited with being up more than $1, 500 on UFC main-card selections. His past successful upset calls cited include Sean O'Malley (+210) over Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292, Dustin Poirier (+190) against Benoit Saint Denis (-230), and Michael Page (+110) over Kevin Holland (-130) at UFC 299. Night-of results showed Leal defeating Njokuani by unanimous decision, undercutting that particular pick.
Hernandez's streak of six finishes and eight straight UFC wins helps explain the market favoring him at -275, while Strickland's lengthy layoff and recent loss to a reigning titleholder contributed to his +225 underdog status. What makes this notable is how the card blended decisive stoppages with narrow decisions, reshaping divisional narratives and immediate betting lines heading out of Houston.
