Athletes
Anthony Hernandez Is Enjoying The Ride
Rising Middleweight Contender Anthony Hernandez Doesn’t Mind The Slow Climb, But He Does Want To Prove His Championship Quality In His Houston Main Event
To watch Anthony Hernandez in the Octagon is to watch someone who loves fighting, but also someone who relishes making life miserable for his opponents. It isn’t hard to see it happening in real time. The more Hernandez takes over the fight, the bigger the smile on his face. He doesn’t necessarily have one-punch power or overwhelming physicality, but his pace, pressure, and grittiness is something that has melted some of the best fighters in the world, as evidenced by each of his seven finishes that have come after the first round.
His most recent win over Roman Dolidze in August 2025 was a perfect example of what defines a signature “Fluffy” performance. Round after round, Hernandez broke Dolidze down systematically until he just wrapped an arm around Dolidze’s neck, dragging the Georgian across the canvas and forcing the tap. That victory was Hernandez’s eighth in a row, a streak that includes six finishes and four Performance Bonuses. The win put him in the division’s top-5, but an injury prevented him from competing in a main event bout with Reinier de Ridder in Vancouver, which could have positioned him well in 2026.
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Although pulling out of the bout was frustrating, Hernandez took it in stride and is now set for a main event bout against former middleweight champion Sean Strickland on February 21 in Houston.
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“I'm gonna get shit done eventually, like at my own pace,” Hernandez told UFC.com. “I mean, unfortunately, everyone's pace is different, and mine's just been a slow, f***ing long, f***ed up one… I just look at life different, I guess. I've been working my entire f***ing life, so just fighting somebody and getting paid is chill. It's like, ‘You're paying me for therapy? Say less.’”
Hernandez, 32, didn’t always have such a “whatever happens, happens” attitude. He kicked off his professional career with five consecutive first-round finishes, earning a shot at the LFA middleweight title against Brendan Allen and beating “All In” for the first time to improve to 6-0.
FULL FIGHTS: Strickland vs Adesanya | Hernandez vs Dolidze
That fight was the last time Hernandez’s father watched him compete before passing away in March 2018. Hernandez lights up whenever talking about his dad, calling him his “best friend” and recalling some fun times spent together thanks to sponsorship money. Back then, Hernandez and his father dreamed of buying land to live on together.
“I was going to f***ing throw two houses on that shit and then take care of my dad,” Hernandez said. “That was the goal — just to kick it and f***ing have a ranch.”
Full Fight | Anthony Hernandez vs Roman Dolidze
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Full Fight | Anthony Hernandez vs Roman Dolidze
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Although that won’t come to fruition now, Hernandez does own land and plans to start building on it soon enough.
Before he gets to that, there is the business of beating the boisterous Strickland, who has been the cream of the 185-pound crop since rejoining the weight class in October 2020. His upright, defensively sound style confounded the best in the world, including Israel Adesanya, when Strickland upset “The Last Stylebender” to capture the title in September 2023. Although he lost the belt to Dricus du Plessis and failed to regain it in their rematch, Strickland remains one of the top contenders and is keen to get his way back to the top of the division.
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“This one actually makes me super f***ing excited because I love the matched energy,” he said. “If someone wants to get crazy, it's like, ‘B***h, run it.’ I'm all in for it. I'm actually really looking forward to this fight. It makes me super excited. I get to go out there, show what I can do against a tough motherf***er that everyone respects.”
One could say these two are a stylistic match made in heaven or hell, depending on your allegiances. Strickland’s cardio is never in question, and he has a subtle way of staying on the front foot even against fighters known to pressure like Hernandez.
If Hernandez can get his game going against maybe the toughest person to do that against in the division, it’ll send a booming statement to the rest of the division. When asked about his thoughts on the challenge, that same wide grin that Hernandez sports in the middle of fights grows on his face.
“I'm going to make it happen,” he said. “You know me. I find my same ways always there, man. I'm telling you, the way he fights, I think it's like stylistically the perfect fight for me. I think he's very good, and I respect the f*** out of him. I know he's tough. I know what he brings to the table, but I think I'm different. I believe that I'm worthy to be the world champion.”
MORE: 10 Standout Moments From UFC In Houston
Since February 2021, when he kicked off his winning streak with a stunning submission win over Rodolfo Vieira, Hernandez has continued to show flashes of someone who can win gold. It hasn’t been flashy, but it has been viciously violent. Outside of the Octagon, he has maintained his level-headed demeanor, and his foul-mouthed interviews have endeared him to a growing fanbase.
In Houston, Hernandez steps into the brightest spotlight yet. He says he has family in Texas who will be in attendance, and he is excited for his kids to meet some of them for the first time. On February 21, though, it’s all business, and for Hernandez, his business is pleasure.
“This is like what I've always expected for myself,” Hernandez said. “I've always known I'm going to do great things, and I know that it just takes time. So, to see it finally happen, that all these things that I've been manifesting since I was a kid, it's been a dream come true. Instead (of pressure), I’ve just been f***ing enjoying the f*** out of it all. It's here, and just, like, ‘Smile and wave.’
“If I got to fight every single motherf***er on this list to f***ing prove that I'm championship quality, then so be it. I mean, just f***ing pay me, and I won't complain.”
UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez took place live from Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on February 21, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!