Anthony Hernandez entered UFC Fight Night 267 riding strong momentum. With eight straight victories and growing support as a future middleweight title challenger, he stepped into the main event at the Toyota Center in Houston against former champion Sean Strickland.
By the end of the night, that momentum had paused.
Strickland earned a third round TKO victory, stopping Hernandez after landing a knee up the middle that shifted the fight. The result moved Strickland to 30 wins and 7 losses as a professional, while Hernandez now stands at 15 and 3 overall, including 9 and 3 in the UFC.
A Competitive Start Before the Finish
Through two rounds, the fight remained close. Hernandez had success with pressure and activity, while Strickland relied on timing and sharp counters. On the scorecards, Hernandez believed the contest was even heading into the third.
During his post fight interview with Michael Bisping inside the cage, Hernandez spoke openly about the moment that changed the outcome.
“I thought it was going good,” Hernandez said. “I thought it was 1-1 maybe. Then I got sloppy, got caught with a f*cking knee up the center. It’s all right. I’m going to go back to the drawing board and I’m going to get better. You’ve seen what happened when I lost last time. I made big jumps. It’s just time to get back to work.”
The knee landed clean and forced the referee to step in, ending the contest in the third round.
At 32, Hernandez is still in the prime of his career. Before this setback, he had built one of the longest active winning runs in the middleweight division. His recent performances placed him in conversations about future title contention.
Strickland’s experience in high level bouts played a role. Known for his calm approach and steady striking, he waited for an opening and capitalized when Hernandez made a mistake.
Hernandez did not point to injuries or outside factors. Instead, he focused on correcting errors and returning stronger. He referenced how he improved after previous defeats, suggesting that this loss could lead to another step forward in his development.
The middleweight division remains competitive, and one loss does not remove Hernandez from the picture. His recent body of work still holds value, and his willingness to adjust may shape his next run.
UFC Houston marked the end of an eight fight streak, but Hernandez believes it will also mark the beginning of another period of growth.
