Sean Strickland Scores Upset TKO Over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston

Former middleweight champion Strickland bounces back from title fight loss with third-round stoppage win.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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In the main event of UFC Houston, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland scored a third-round TKO victory over rising contender Anthony Hernandez. Strickland, who was the underdog entering the fight, was able to land a brutal body shot that hurt Hernandez, before swarming him on the fence to earn the stoppage win.

Why it matters

This win puts Strickland back in the title picture at middleweight, as he looks to regain the championship he lost in his previous fight. Hernandez, who was on an eight-fight winning streak, suffers his first loss in the UFC and will now need to regroup in order to work his way back into title contention.

The details

Strickland was able to utilize his jab effectively throughout the fight, and the key moment came in the third round when he landed a devastating body shot that visibly hurt Hernandez. Strickland then pressed the action, pinning Hernandez against the fence and landing several unanswered strikes to force the referee to step in and stop the fight.

  • The fight took place on Saturday, February 24, 2026 at UFC Houston.

The players

Sean Strickland

A former UFC middleweight champion who was looking to bounce back from a title fight loss in his previous bout.

Anthony Hernandez

A rising middleweight contender who entered the fight on an eight-fight winning streak and was looking to earn a title shot with a win over Strickland.

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What they’re saying

“I knew Anthony was going to be a tough test, but I was confident in my abilities and I'm glad I was able to get the win. Now I'm looking forward to getting another shot at the title.”

— Sean Strickland, UFC Middleweight Fighter (bjpenn.com)

What’s next

Strickland will likely need to take one more fight before earning a title shot, with the winner of the upcoming Caio Borralho vs. Reinier de Ridder bout at UFC 326 being a potential next opponent. Hernandez will look to bounce back from this loss and work his way back into title contention, with a fight against a top-10 middleweight like Jared Cannonier being a possibility.

The takeaway

This main event victory for Sean Strickland shows that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the UFC middleweight division, and that he is determined to regain the title he once held. Meanwhile, Anthony Hernandez's first career loss is a setback, but he has shown enough potential to bounce back and work his way back into title contention with the right matchup.