Ufc Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez Anchors Busy Night at Toyota Center
Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez met in the middleweight main event on Saturday night in Houston, the centerpiece of an active ufc fight night at the Toyota Center. The matchup mattered because it paired a former champion navigating injuries and a regulatory suspension against a surging contender on an eight-fight run, shaping title-picture implications and immediate matchmaking questions.
Ufc Fight Night main event: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez
The middleweight headline pitted 34-year-old Sean Strickland against 32-year-old Anthony Hernandez. Strickland returned after what was described as over a year away from the octagon and came into Houston with mixed recent form: three wins in his last five outings and a sequence that included losing the middleweight title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024, a decision win over Paulo Costa five months later at UFC 302, and a lopsided unanimous-decision loss to du Plessis in a rematch at UFC 312 in February 2025. Hernandez entered his second straight main event riding an eight-fight win streak; his run included a dominant submission of Roman Dolidze in August at the UFC Vegas 109 headliner and a 2025 victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle a year ago.
Officials: Herb Dean and the three judges for the main event
Herb Dean served as the referee for the headline bout, with judges Sal D’Amato, Chris Lee and Junichiro Kamijo assigned to score. Hernandez was the earlier fan favorite on introductions, drawing a big response from the crowd, while Strickland received a mixed reaction during Bruce Buffer’s ringwalk announcements.
Round 1 action: Hernandez's pressure, Strickland's jab
The opening frame featured both fighters touching gloves and taking center cage control. Strickland frequently used his jab and a teep while Hernandez stalked forward, mixing a jab to the body and an inside leg kick. Hernandez landed a right hand while moving forward and later put Strickland against the fence after a heavy combination; Strickland separated and continued to pepper jabs. Hernandez drilled three rights that sent Strickland to the floor, though the moment was characterized more as a slip. Observers noted Hernandez landed the more meaningful shots while Strickland maintained higher volume with jabs; a late flurry from Hernandez closed the round narrowly in his favor.
Round 2 opening: tactical adjustments and counters
The second round began with both fighters smiling and touching gloves before action resumed. Hernandez worked a takedown fake into a right hand, while Strickland answered with a jab and right. Hernandez pressed forward, landing a hard combination and an over-the-top counter that tested Strickland’s response. Through the early exchanges, Strickland continued to find his jab, but Hernandez’s forward momentum and counters remained a recurring theme. The round-by-round coverage available for the bout ends mid-second round in the provided material; the final outcome for the main event is unclear in the provided context.
Co-main and undercard: finishes and decisions at Toyota Center
The evening’s undercard produced multiple stoppages and a string of decisions. In the co-main, Uros Medic knocked out Geoff Neal in the first round at 1: 19. Other finishes included Melquizael Costa defeating Dan Ige by TKO in Round 1 at 4: 56, Jacobe Smith scoring a first-round KO at 3: 01 over Josiah Harrell, and Joselyne Edwards submitting Nora Cornolle with a rear-naked choke in Round 2 at 2: 44. Notable decisions: Serghei Spivac bested Ante Delija by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), Michel Pereira edged Zachary Reese by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29), and Carlos Leal, Alibi Idiris, Alden Coria, Punahele Soriano, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani, Jordan Leavitt and Carli Judice each recorded decision victories with the scorelines provided on the card.
Odds, narratives and what to watch next
Betting markets closed with Hernandez as the moderate favorite at -245 and Strickland listed at +200 on FanDuel. Prior to the fight, one preview projected that Hernandez’s pressure—quick takedowns and constant mat returns—would frustrate Strickland and culminate in a fourth-round TKO. Strickland’s recent layoff, post-UFC 312 recovery from injuries and a suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission were all factors that shaped him into the week’s focal story. What makes this notable is how those off- and in-cage developments converged: Hernandez’s sustained win streak and in-fight pressure directly countered Strickland’s jab-and-volume approach, producing the early-round dynamics documented here and influencing the card’s broader consequences for the middleweight division.
Headliners and undercard results listed here reflect the information available from the Houston event at the Toyota Center; certain bout details beyond the mid-second round of the main event are unclear in the provided context.
