Sean Strickland knocks out Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston, calls out Khamzat Chimaev

sean strickland returned with a statement win at UFC Houston, stopping Anthony Hernandez in the third round to snap Hernandez’s eight-fight win streak. The victory matters now because it was Strickland’s first fight after more than a year away and immediately propelled him back into the middleweight title conversation.

Sean Strickland at Toyota Center: third-round stoppage, 2: 33

At the Toyota Center, Sean Strickland finished the main event in Round 3 with the official time of the stoppage recorded at 2: 33. The defeat ended Hernandez’s run and marked Strickland’s first stoppage victory since 2023. Strickland, now 30-7, used a heavy, persistent jab and steady volume across three rounds to keep the fight on the feet; that approach, coupled with Hernandez’s limited grappling attempts, set up the sequence that ended the bout—a knee to the body that visibly hurt Hernandez followed by a flurry of punches that forced the referee intervention.

Anthony Hernandez’s eight-fight streak ends; record listed 15-3, 1 NC

Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez entered the night riding an eight-fight win streak, the longest active run in the division, but left with his first loss by stoppage in this fight—his third career stoppage defeat. Hernandez’s ledger is shown as 15-3 with one no-contest. He was a sizable favorite leading into the matchup and managed to find moments with his striking in Round 2, but those sequences did not derail Strickland’s plan. Predictions leading into the event had flagged Hernandez’s strong grappling, nonstop pressure and elite cardio as keys to success; there were also concerns mentioned about how he would bounce back from a recent injury.

Khamzat Chimaev and the middleweight title picture

Immediately after the stoppage, Strickland aimed his attention at reigning middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, saying he "wants a piece" of the division’s undefeated king. Three of Strickland’s past four fights had the title on the line, and the former champion’s recent résumé—two losses to Dricus du Plessis, notable wins over Paulo Costa, and a shock upset of Israel Adesanya—was cited in previews as reason he remains in the title mix. Pre-fight analysis suggested the winner would likely emerge as a frontrunner for a shot at Chimaev; with Strickland’s win, that scenario now gains momentum. What makes this notable is how quickly the outcome reshapes immediate contender math: a victory that ended in a finish strengthens Strickland’s claim more than a tight decision would have.

Uros Medic’s 79-second knockout of Geoff Neal

The evening’s co-main saw Uros Medic (13-3) deliver a highlight knockout, landing a left hook to the temple that incapacitated veteran Geoff Neal (16-8) just 79 seconds into Round 1. The loss was Neal’s second straight under the UFC banner and his fourth defeat in his last five fights. Pre-fight commentary had noted Medic’s tendency to finish early—he has only gone past the second round once—and the quick knockout in Houston reinforced that pattern.

Melquizael Costa’s spinning back kick and $100, 000 performance bonuses

Featherweight Melquizael Costa (25-7) continued a six-fight win streak by landing a late first-round spinning back kick to the face of Dan Ige (19-10), producing one of the night’s decisive finishes. Performance bonuses of $100, 000 were awarded to Sean Strickland, Uros Medic, Melquizael Costa and Jacobe Smith for their finishes, underlining the night’s emphasis on stoppages.

Event logistics, betting context and predictions that preceded the card

Pre-fight material laid out an eight-fight early preliminary card followed by a six-fight main card, with the early prelims scheduled to begin at 5 p. m. ET and the main card at 8 p. m. ET, and the event slated to stream on Paramount+. The exact calendar date is unclear in the provided context. Betting and preview notes had positioned Hernandez as a sizable favorite and framed the matchup as a direct battle for a title shot at 185 pounds; analysts suggested the winner would likely step into No. 1 contender conversations, even mentioning other names such as Nassourdine Imavov in the context of contender ordering. Previews also characterized Strickland’s fighting style as disruptive—good takedown defense, an emphasis on defense that muddies opponents’ rhythm—and cautioned that despite prior losses to Dricus du Plessis and a heavy defeat against Alex Pereira, Strickland’s résumé (including wins over Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya) keeps him relevant for another title run.

With the main-card finishes and two high-profile knockouts, the night at the Toyota Center refocused the middleweight picture: Hernandez must rebuild after his first stoppage loss to Strickland, while Strickland’s stoppage and immediate call for Khamzat Chimaev create a clear next narrative for the division.