The UFC is back in Houston on February 21, and the Toyota Center is hosting a main event that doesn’t need belts to feel important! Sean Strickland is trying to remind everyone he still belongs near the top of this division. Standing across from him is Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez, determined to prove that the slow, grinding climb he’s been on ends with him stepping over a former champion.
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“‘Fluffy’ is a hard f— fight,” ‘Tarzan’ recently told ESPN MMA, “Endless gas tank, he’s beat some of my buddies… Yeah, it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait. It’s going to be a miserable fight.”
This fight is about who gets to stay in the middleweight title conversation when the dust settles. So, without further ado, let’s break down their stats, records, and more to see how Strickland and Hernandez stack up ahead of their showdown!
Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez ranking, stats, and record comparison
Sean Strickland (Ranked #3 – Middleweight)
Record | 29-7-0 |
Height | 6’1 |
Reach | 76’ |
Stance | Orthodox |
DOB | Feb 27, 1991 |
SLpM | 5.95 |
Str. Acc. | 42% |
SApm | 4.57 |
Str. Def. | 60% |
TD Avg. | 0.73 |
TD Acc. | 64% |
TD Def. | 76% |
Sub. Avg. | 0.2 |
Anthony Hernandez (Ranked #4 – Middleweight)
Record | 15-2-0 (1 NC) |
Height | 6’0 |
Reach | 75’ |
Stance | Orthodox |
DOB | Oct 18, 1993 |
SLpM | 4.59 |
Str. Acc. | 62% |
SApm | 2.53 |
Str. Def. | 49% |
TD Avg. | 6.46 |
TD Acc. | 48% |
TD Def. | 68% |
Sub. Avg. | 1.8 |
On paper, this looks like a classic volume striker vs grappling machine showdown. Sean Strickland throws nearly six significant strikes per minute, which is elite output at middleweight. He’s not a sniper, but he drowns people in activity and doesn’t back up. Strickland’s 5.95 significant strikes landed per minute isn’t just volume for volume’s sake; it’s how he wins fights by attrition. He forces opponents to operate at his pace, and over five rounds, that constant output piles up even when his accuracy sits at 42%.
Hernandez lands fewer strikes, but his accuracy is far higher. Defensively, ‘Fluffy’ also absorbs nearly half the damage Strickland does per minute (2.53 vs. 4.57), which suggests he’s either controlling the position better or limiting exchanges by forcing grappling.
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That’s backed up by the takedown numbers: Hernandez averages a massive 6.46 takedowns per 15 minutes with 1.8 submission attempts, which shows his game is built around dragging opponents into fatigue and mistakes. That’s absurd for a middleweight contender. His submission attempts also dwarf Strickland’s. Meanwhile, Strickland’s 76% takedown defense and his ability to scramble back to his feet are what might be the key at UFC Houston.
If Sean Strickland’s defense holds, his higher output and pressure should win rounds. If Hernandez’s volume of attempts starts breaking through, the efficiency gap flips into his favor because control time will matter more than strike counts.
Walkaround weight of Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez
Sean Strickland walking around at roughly 230 pounds out of camp raised eyebrows when that clip surfaced last year. That’s light heavyweight size living inside a middleweight frame. The important context: he was out of camp, with no fight booked.
Still, it hints at how big he is naturally, and how much he has to trim down when the cut begins. There’s no public number for Hernandez’s walkaround weight, but it’s safe to assume he’s not strolling around at 185 lbs either. Most middleweights sit well north of that between fights.
Fighting style comparison of UFC Houston main eventers
Sean Strickland draws a lot of heat from the MMA community about his unique fighting style and stance. But peel the layers back, and you’ll see something else emerge. ‘Tarzan’ is one of the best defensive strikers in MMA. His fight against Israel Adesanya, which won him the middleweight title, is proof of that. With his long guard, constant jabs, and forward pressure, he’s not hunting one-shot knockouts. He’s trying to win minutes, rounds, and momentum.
Hernandez does something similar, but with his grappling. Once he gets on you, he doesn’t stop coming. He chains takedowns, smothers hips, drags opponents back down when they stand, and looks to break rhythm before breaking position. His submission of Roman Dolidze wasn’t just technical. It was exhaustion turned into opportunity.
Final prediction for UFC Houston: Strickland vs Hernandez
This one is tight, and that’s what makes the UFC Houston main event so compelling. Anthony Hernandez has the tools to make this ugly. The takedown volume, the pressure, the submission threats, it’s all there. But Sean Strickland’s takedown defense and his ability to stand back up in scrambles matter more in five rounds than in three. If Strickland keeps even half of those takedowns off him, he wins rounds by sheer volume and pace. He doesn’t need to dominate. He just needs to keep it standing long enough and hit Hernandez often enough to bank minutes.
The safer pick is Strickland by decision. Not because Hernandez can’t win. He absolutely can. But over 25 minutes, ‘Tarzan’s experience in main events, his cardio, and his defensive wrestling give him more paths to survive the grind and edge rounds. Still, who are you leaning towards in this matchup? Let us know in the comments below!