Is Anthony Hernandez a better wrestler than Khamzat Chimaev? If you ask Sean Strickland, he definitely believes that to be true. In an ESPN MMA interview, ‘Tarzan’ picked ‘Fluffy’ to beat the middleweight champion in a five-round showdown. Well, expectedly, the former middleweight champion’s take met stark skepticism, and now Michael Bisping has also decided to take a dig.

On February 21, Strickland is all set to face Hernandez at UFC Fight Night in Houston, Texas. And for the record, ‘The Count’ will be there to call the event. So, as the English ex-champion heads to commentate on the fight, he clearly believes Khamzat Chimaev stands leagues above, as he gives Strickland a reality check for his claims.

Michael Bisping pushes back at Sean Strickland’s claims

“That’s crazy. That’s an even worse take than my impression of Sean Strickland that I just did,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel while reacting to Strickland’s claim. “To say that Fluffy is a better wrestler than Khamzat Chimaev is wild. Anthony Hernandez, better known as Fluffy, is a very good wrestler. He is very effective. But he hasn’t got anywhere near the credentials or the explosiveness of Khamzat Chimaev.

There’s no one in the Octagon when he’s taking out people one after the other. And that is why the man is undefeated,” ‘The Count’ added.

As the former middleweight champ does not have a single doubt in his mind that ‘Borz’ is the better fighter, is that actually true? Well, if we look at the grappling stats, Anthony Hernandez averages 6.46 takedowns per fight with 48% takedown accuracy, which shows the Mexican-American’s wrestling gives him an edge over many contenders.

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However, when it comes to Khamzat Chimaev, the Chechen Emirati lands 5.29 takedowns per fight, which is lower than Fluffy’s output. But the champion’s overall accuracy stands higher at 55%.

Now, the stats paint a competitive picture, but it definitely matters how ‘Borz’ imposes his wrestling, as he showed during his fights with Robert Whittaker and Dricus du Plessis, where he often refuses to give up dominant positions. On the other hand, ‘Fluffy’ brings slick submission skills of his own, but the difference lies in the level of opposition they have faced so far. Still, can he pull that off against ‘Borz’? We would only find out if they ever meet inside the Octagon.

As UFC Houston looms, both fighters will look to prove why they can match up with the undefeated phenom champion. And with high stakes in mind, Sean Strickland believes a clash against his opponent will turn into a miserable showdown.

‘Tarzan’ expects a miserable clash against ‘Fluffy’ in Houston

While fighting in the UFC, ‘Tarzan’ has been part of many five-round main events. Because of his forward-moving and risk-free fighting style, he often finds an edge in a 25-minute war. However, Sean Strickland seems a little wary about going the distance with Anthony Hernandez in Houston. Why? The former champion believes the Mexican-American’s endless cardio could become a serious issue.

“‘Fluffy’ is a hard f—ng fight,” Strickland said in a recent ESPN MMA interview. “Endless gas tank, he’s beat some of my buddies. I think Edmen (Shahbazyan) kind of s— the bed in that fight. … Yeah, it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait. It’s going to be a miserable fight.

“There’s going to be a level of misery there that’s hard to train for. It’s hard to train for that kind of misery. You know it’s going to be the fourth round, the fifth round. Like, f—. Five more minutes of this f— parasite. That’s how he’s made his career lying on guys, but it’s hard,” the Nevada native added.

Here, the former 185 lbs kingpin expects his opponent to lean heavily on wrestling to control him. However, ‘Fluffy’ also owns nine submission victories, and he can absolutely snatch another one against Strickland if the opportunity presents itself. The Nevada native must stay sharp when dealing with Hernandez on the front, because the moment he overcommits, Hernandez can slide to the back and turn the tide as he did with Roman Dolidze.

That said, as the UFC prepares to land in Houston, Texas, who do you think will secure the victory and move one step closer to a title shot? Let us know in the comments section below.