This is the live blog for Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez, the middleweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Houston card at Toyota Center in the Lone Star State.
Strickland returns to action after over a year out of the octagon looking to get back on track after dropping two of his past three. The former middleweight champion lost the title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024 before bouncing back with a decision win against Paulo Costa five months later at UFC 302. The 34-year-old faced du Plessis in a championship rematch at UFC 312 in February 2025 where he dropped a lopsided unanimous decision. After recovering from injuries, and going through a suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, Strickland has become the story of the week for the fight card.
Hernandez enters his second consecutive main event with an impressive eight-fight win streak. In his most recent bout, “Fluffy” delivered one of the most dominant performances of 2025 en route to a submission win against Roman Dolidze this past August in the UFC Vegas 109 headliner. The 32-year-old also earned a 2025 victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle a year ago.
Check out the Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez live blog below.
Closing Odds
According to FanDuel, Anthony Hernandez closes as the moderate favorite at -245, with the comeback on Sean Strickland at +200.
Final Prediction
Sean Strickland is a former UFC champion, so the man knows how to win fights. However, this could be a nightmare matchup for him. Strickland’s path is if Hernandez accepts a middle of the octagon kickboxing match, and I just don’t see that happening. I think Hernandez does what he does, pressures Strickland against the fence, quick takedowns, mat returns galore, and as the frustration mounts, “Fluffy” gets the finish via TKO in Round 4.
Final Announcements
Hernandez was first out, and now Strickland is set to walk inside the octagon. Moments away.
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Round 4:
Round 5: