Ufc Fight Night: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez at Toyota Center
Sean Strickland returned to action in Houston for the ufc fight night middleweight main event against Anthony Hernandez, a matchup that carried added storylines around Strickland’s long layoff and Hernandez’s eight-fight winning streak. The card at the Toyota Center unfolded with a charged crowd reaction, detailed in-round action, and a full slate of undercard results.
Strickland’s recent results, titles and setbacks
Sean Strickland, the 34-year-old former middleweight champion, returned after more than a year out of the octagon. Context in the buildup notes that he dropped two of his past three fights and that he has won three of his past five fights. Strickland lost the title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024, then bounced back with a decision win over Paulo Costa five months later at UFC 302. He later faced du Plessis in a championship rematch at UFC 312 in February 2025 and dropped a lopsided unanimous decision. The record of injuries and a suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission are part of why Strickland was described as the story of the week for the fight card; the context says he recovered from injuries and went through that suspension ahead of this bout.
Anthony Hernandez’s streak, nickname and recent wins
Anthony Hernandez, nicknamed "Fluffy" and listed at 32 years old, entered his second consecutive main event riding an eight-fight winning streak. In his most recent outing he delivered what the coverage calls one of the most dominant performances of 2025, earning a submission win against Roman Dolidze in the UFC Vegas 109 headliner this past August. The 32-year-old also recorded a 2025 victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle a year ago. Betting markets closed with Hernandez as the moderate favorite at -245 and Strickland as the comeback underdog at +200.
Ufc Fight Night officials, introductions and crowd
The main event’s referee was Herb Dean, with Sal D’Amato, Chris Lee and Junichiro Kamijo serving as judges. Bruce Buffer handled the ring introductions; the crowd gave Hernandez a big response and offered a mixed reaction for Strickland during those introductions. Those details set the stage for a tense opening frame.
Round 1: early center control, fence pressure and a late flurry
The first round opened with gloves touched and both men taking the center. Strickland deployed his patented jab and a teep while Hernandez started stalking forward. Hernandez went to the body with a jab and landed an inside leg kick; the coverage observed Hernandez starting a bit slow early while Strickland kept up volume and jabs. Strickland landed a sneaky uppercut and other shots; Hernandez landed a right hand as he moved forward. Late in the round Hernandez uncorked a big combination that pressed Strickland against the fence before Strickland separated. Hernandez then drilled Strickland with three big rights that sent Strickland to the canvas, though that was described more as a slip. Observers called the round close, noting Hernandez landed the more meaningful shots while Strickland supplied steady volume and jabs; the final seconds saw Hernandez move forward with a late flurry to close the round.
Round 2 opening sequence and status
Both men were smiling and touched gloves before Round 2 began. Hernandez used a good fake for a takedown and followed with a right hand; Strickland answered with a jab and a right. Hernandez marched forward and landed a hard combination and a strong counter over the top, with Strickland continuing to land the jab. What happened after those initial exchanges is unclear in the provided context.
Toyota Center undercard: full results from the card
The event at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, produced the following results from the listed fights on the card: Uros Medic knocked out Geoff Neal in the first round (1: 19) in the welterweight co-main. Melquizael Costa stopped Dan Ige by TKO in the first round (4: 56). Serghei Spivac defeated Ante Delija by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). Jacobe Smith knocked out Josiah Harrell in the first round (3: 01). Michel Pereira earned a split decision over Zachary Reese (29-28, 29-28, 28-29). Carlos Leal beat Chidi Njokuani by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). Alibi Idiris won a unanimous decision over Ode Osbourne (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). Alden Coria defeated Luis Gurule by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Joselyne Edwards submitted Nora Cornolle with a rear-naked choke in round two at 2: 44. Punahele Soriano defeated Ramiz Brahimaj by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani took a split decision over Phil Rowe (29-28, 29-28, 28-29). Jordan Leavitt beat 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).
