Strickland Vs Hernandez — strickland vs hernandez: UFC Houston main card results
In a decisive main-event showing at UFC Houston, strickland vs hernandez ended with Sean Strickland stopping Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez at the Toyota Center. The former UFC middleweight champion recorded the stoppage at 2: 33 of Round 3 and used the post-fight spotlight to call out reigning champion Khamzat Chimaev, saying he "wants a piece" of the division's undefeated king.
Strickland Vs Hernandez result
Sean Strickland returned in vintage fashion, scoring his first stoppage since 2023 to halt Hernandez's eight-fight win streak. The performance was Strickland's first fight after more than a year out of the cage; he had last competed in early February 2025, losing a lackluster effort against then-champion Dricus du Plessis in a failed bid to regain his UFC middleweight title. Strickland entered the fight with a record of 30-7; Hernandez was listed at 15-3 with 1 NC.
How the fight unfolded
"Tarzan" fought behind his signature jab, peppering Hernandez with heavy volume over three rounds while Hernandez mounted surprisingly few grappling attempts. Hernandez, a sizable favorite in the lead-up to the fight, found moments with his striking in Round 2 but nothing that materially altered Strickland's game plan. In Round 3, Hernandez wilted off a knee to the body and was finished with a flurry of punches, the official stoppage coming at 2: 33 of the frame. The setback was Hernandez's third loss stoppage.
Co-main and other knockouts
The co-main produced its own highlight when Uros Medic (13-3) landed a cracking left hook to the temple that knocked veteran welterweight Geoff Neal (16-8) out just 79 seconds into the opening round. That outcome represented Neal's second consecutive UFC loss and his fourth loss in his past five bouts. Elsewhere on the card, Melquizael Costa (25-7) continued an upward run against Dan Ige (19-10), scoring a late first-round spinning back kick to the face that extended his winning streak to six.
Bonuses and aftermath
Performance bonuses of $100, 000 were awarded to Sean Strickland, Uros Medic, Melquizael Costa and Jacobe Smith. In the fight's aftermath Strickland targeted reigning UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and kept his post-fight demand brief, saying he "wants a piece" of the division's undefeated king.
Pre-fight expectations and other notes
The event was staged as a 14-fight card that some observers said resembled a smaller, tightly packed lineup one might expect at the Apex. Pre-fight analysis had highlighted Hernandez's all-action, grappling-heavy style, noting an average of 144. 2 DraftKings points in his last three fights. Pundits expected Strickland's solid takedown defense and ability to get back to his feet when grounded to blunt Hernandez's pressure; Strickland's measured pace was expected to invite swarming from Hernandez.
Other matchup notes circulating before the event included observations that Costa's ability to marry range striking with superior grappling had resulted in a multi-fight win streak—one pre-fight read cited five wins in a row, and the outcome in Houston extended that streak to six. Analysts also flagged a three-inch height disadvantage for Dan Ige if he was unable to use wrestling against Costa.
Scouting notes touched on several undercard fighters: Jacobe Smith, nicknamed "Cobe, " was described as fast and powerful but prone to overextending early, presenting a growth opportunity against Josiah Harrell; Pereira had lost his last three fights but was noted for a takedown defense rate of 76 percent compared with Zachary Reese, who carried appeal as a popular dog play; Yadier Del Valle's win over Isaac Dulgarian had been a submission in Round 1 that followed suspicious heavy betting on the Cuban fighter; Jordan Leavitt was viewed as a grappler who would try to put opponents on their back foot; Ramiz Brahimaj was profiled as a powerful grappler with a strong guillotine who had been dominated by committed wrestlers Themba Gorimbo and Court McGee; Soriano had been submitted just once in 16 fights and retained the ability to strike, particularly against a 33-year-old in top position; Luis Gurule was assessed as a functional boxer and wrestler who had trouble staying out of the clinch against Jesus Aguilar while Coria was expected to crowd and work his grappling; and Edwards was seen as benefiting from mixing wrestling with kickboxing. Nora Cornolle was noted as getting easily controlled on the ground against Hailey Cowan before she found just the... unclear in the provided context.
Hernandez now faces a process of rebuilding after a devastating defeat that likely cost him a path to a title shot; a win over Strickland would likely have earned him an opportunity at Khamzat Chimaev. For Strickland, the victory offered a statement return after more than a year away and a renewed push toward another title-run conversation.
