Ufc Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez headlines Toyota Center in Houston

This ufc fight night at the Toyota Center in Houston staged a middleweight main event pitting Sean Strickland against Anthony Hernandez, a matchup with immediate stakes as Strickland returns after more than a year out and Hernandez rides an eight-fight win streak. The card’s outcome reshapes momentum for both men and was accompanied by a busy undercard of finishes and decisions.

Ufc Fight Night main event build: Strickland’s recent arc and titles on the line

Sean Strickland, 34, returned to the octagon after more than a year away and entered the fight having dropped two of his past three outings. He is a former middleweight champion who lost the title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024, then bounced back with a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 five months later. Strickland later faced du Plessis in a championship rematch at UFC 312 in February 2025 and dropped a lopsided unanimous decision. After recovering from injuries and serving a suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, Strickland became the story of the week for the fight card. One preview framed the matchup with the phrase "Sean Strickland rolls against Anthony Hernandez. " Another note from fight-week said Strickland had won three of his past five fights.

Anthony Hernandez’s rise: second straight main event and an eight-fight streak

Anthony Hernandez, 32 and nicknamed "Fluffy, " entered his second consecutive main event riding an eight-fight win streak. In his most recent outing he recorded a submission win against Roman Dolidze in the UFC Vegas 109 headliner this past August, a performance described in the build as one of the most dominant of 2025. The 32-year-old also recorded a 2025 victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle a year ago.

Octagon officials, walkouts and the opening rounds

Hernandez was the first fighter out; Strickland followed and the introductions drew a big response for Hernandez and a mixed reaction for Strickland during Bruce Buffer’s introductions. Herb Dean served as referee for the main event, and the judges were Sal D’Amato, Chris Lee and Junichiro Kamijo.

Round 1 opened with a glove touch and both men taking center. Strickland worked a jab and a teep while Hernandez stalked forward, landed a jab to the body and an inside leg kick. Strickland landed a sneaky uppercut and landed volume jabs; Hernandez landed more meaningful shots at times, including a right hand moving forward and a big combination that pressed Strickland to the fence before Strickland separated. Late in the round Hernandez drilled Strickland with three big rights and Strickland went to the canvas more from a slip than a clean knockdown, and Hernandez closed the round with a late flurry. In Round 2 both men smiled and touched gloves before the horn; Hernandez used a good fake for a takedown and followed with a right hand, landed a hard combination and produced a strong counter over the top while Strickland continued to work his jab.

Odds, predictions and fight-week commentary

On the gambling lines Hernandez closed as the moderate favorite at -245, with Sean Strickland listed at +200. Pre-fight analysis in the build suggested that if Hernandez imposed pressure with takedowns and mat returns he could force frustration on Strickland and that the path to a finish for Hernandez could come around Round 4 by TKO. That scenario and the posted odds factored heavily into expectations for the main event.

Co-main and full card results from Toyota Center

The co-main featured Geoff Neal against Uros Medic; Uros Medic defeated Geoff Neal by first-round KO at 1: 19. Other results from the night included:

• Melquizael Costa defeated Dan Ige by first-round TKO at 4: 56.
• Serghei Spivac defeated Ante Delija by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
• Jacobe Smith defeated Josiah Harrell by first-round KO at 3: 01.
• Michel Pereira defeated Zachary Reese by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29).
• Carlos Leal defeated Chidi Njokuani by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
• Alibi Idiris defeated Ode Osbourne by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
• Alden Coria defeated Luis Gurule by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
• Joselyne Edwards defeated Nora Cornolle by submission (rear-naked choke) in Round 2 at 2: 44.
• Punahele Soriano defeated Ramiz Brahimaj by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
• Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani defeated Phil Rowe by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29).
• Jordan Leavitt defeated Yadier del Valle by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
• Carli Judice defeated Juliana Miller by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

The card at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night produced a mix of early stoppages and competitive decisions that will factor into matchmaking and rankings for the middleweight headliners and the rest of the roster.