Strickland TKOs Hernandez at UFC Fight Night.

Sean Strickland had expressed an anticipation for a “dreadful” encounter against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez this past Saturday in Houston, yet the hardship ultimately befell his adversary.

Strickland (30-7) secured his inaugural knockout victory in over twenty-four months, halting Hernandez (15-3) via strikes at the 2:33 mark of the third round. This marked Strickland’s initial return to action subsequent to his unsuccessful bid for the middleweight championship against Dricus Du Plessis in February 2025. That particular defeat was broadly considered among the least impressive displays of Strickland’s career, but he amply redeemed himself this Saturday.

“I acknowledge that at the weigh-in, we exchanged some remarks,” Strickland stated, alluding to contentious interactions with Hernandez earlier in the week. “However, following that bout, I sense a kinship with Mexican heritage. That truly was an intense battle, and my gratitude for Fluffy is immense. He embodies the essence of masculinity. Frankly, Fluffy exemplifies the kind of individual I aspire to be. He’s a husband, a parent, a diligent worker – he surpasses the man I could ever wish to become.”

Strickland, aged 34, held the third position in the UFC’s middleweight rankings leading up to the contest, yet was considered a considerable longshot by bettors to end Hernandez’s impressive run of eight successive victories. Nevertheless, he reversed expectations from the initial round, systematically engaging Hernandez with his well-known jab and agile footwork.

The seasoned competitor, with seventeen years of experience, had foreseen the necessity of extending the contest with Hernandez into the fourth and fifth rounds of a competitive exchange to wear him down. Instead, Strickland inflicted damage with a knee strike to the torso during the third round. He concluded the match with strikes to the body and a series of uppercuts.

Despite Strickland’s assertions in recent discussions that he does not anticipate a title challenge in the near future, primarily due to the incumbent champion Khamzat Chimaev’s track record of being sidelined, he nonetheless vocalized his desire for such a chance following his triumph on Saturday.

“Should Chimaev become active once more, I would welcome a confrontation,” Strickland declared. “One can never predict his next move, but that is my current aspiration.”

Based on UFC statistical data, Strickland surpassed Hernandez in total strikes, landing 92 to Hernandez’s 62, and successfully defended Hernandez’s singular takedown attempt. Hailing from Las Vegas, Strickland acknowledged competing against Du Plessis the previous year with a compromised shoulder and subsequently experienced an absence from competition during the latter half of 2025, resulting from a disciplinary action imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission concerning his involvement in an after-fight incident at a local gathering in June.

The period away from competition may have proven beneficial for him. His most recent stoppage victory prior to Saturday had been a second-round knockout against Abus Magomedov in July 2023. For Hernandez, who is 32, this loss brought an end to a series of consecutive victories that commenced in February 2021. Hernandez had previously suffered a defeat to Kevin Holland in May 2020, preceding his accumulation of eight straight wins, six of which ended in finishes.

“I believed the fight was progressing favorably, perceiving it as evenly matched with one round apiece, but perhaps I became careless and was struck by the knee centrally,” Hernandez commented. “That’s acceptable. I plan to reassess my strategy and improve. You witnessed the outcome the last time I faced defeat; I subsequently enhanced my performance.”