Ufc Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez at Toyota Center
This report covers the ufc fight night main event between Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. It includes a round-by-round account of the main event, background on both fighters, betting lines, officiating assignments and full card results from Saturday night.
Main event and build
The middleweight main event paired Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez. Strickland returned to action after more than a year out of the octagon, seeking to get back on track after dropping two of his past three. The 34-year-old is a former middleweight champion who lost the title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024 before bouncing back with a decision win against Paulo Costa five months later at UFC 302. Strickland then faced du Plessis in a championship rematch at UFC 312 in February 2025, where he dropped a lopsided unanimous decision. After recovering from injuries and serving a suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, Strickland emerged as a prominent storyline for the fight card.
Hernandez’s streak and recent wins
Anthony Hernandez entered his second consecutive main event on an eight-fight win streak. The 32-year-old, nicknamed "Fluffy, " delivered one of the most dominant performances of 2025 with a submission win against Roman Dolidze this past August in the UFC Vegas 109 headliner. He also earned a 2025 victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle a year ago. Betting on the fight closed with Hernandez the moderate favorite at -245, while the comeback on Strickland was listed at +200 on FanDuel.
Officials and ring walk
Hernandez was the first fighter out and Strickland followed to walk inside the octagon. Herb Dean served as the referee for the main event. The judges assigned were Sal D’Amato, Chris Lee and Junichiro Kamijo. The crowd response was notable: a big response for Hernandez and a mixed reception for Strickland during Bruce Buffer’s introductions.
Round-by-round: Round 1
They touched gloves and opened in the center. Strickland used his jab and a teep early while Hernandez stalked forward, mixing jabs to the body and an inside leg kick. Hernandez began slowly but started to land more as the round progressed. Strickland landed a sneaky uppercut and threw volume with jabs, while Hernandez countered with a right hand moving forward. Near the end of the round Hernandez pressed Strickland against the fence after a big combination, then Strickland separated. Hernandez drilled Strickland with three big rights that sent Strickland to the floor, though that was described more as a slip. Hernandez landed the more meaningful shots overall in the frame while Strickland supplied higher volume. The round closed with Hernandez moving forward and a late flurry.
Round-by-round: Round 2 start
Both men smiled and touched gloves before the second round began. Hernandez faked for a takedown and followed with a right hand. Strickland responded with a jab and a right hand. Hernandez marched forward, landing a hard combination and a good counter over the top. The sequence in the early portion of Round 2 found Strickland continuing to land his jab.
Full card results
The card at the Toyota Center produced the following results for the night: Uros Medic def. Geoff Neal first-round KO (1: 19); Melquizael Costa def. Dan Ige first-round TKO (4: 56); Serghei Spivac def. Ante Delija unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2); Jacobe Smith def. Josiah Harrell first-round KO (3: 01); Michel Pereira def. Zachary Reese split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29); Carlos Leal def. Chidi Njokuani unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2); Alibi Idiris def. Ode Osbourne unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2); Alden Coria def. Luis Gurule unanimous decision (30-27 x3); Joselyne Edwards def. Nora Cornolle submission (RNC) in Round 2 at 2: 44; Punahele Soriano def. Ramiz Brahimaj unanimous decision (29-28 x3); Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Phil Rowe split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29); Jordan Leavitt def. Yadier del Valle unanimous decision (29-28 x3); and Carli Judice def. Juliana Miller unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27).
Outcome note on main event
Headline coverage on the night described that Sean Strickland rolls against Anthony Hernandez in the UFC Houston main event. Strickland had won three of his past five fights entering the night while Hernandez had an eight-fight winning streak prior to the bout.
Closing: This account records the build, officiating, round action through the early second round and the complete results list from the Toyota Center card on Saturday night.
