UFC Houston Headlined by Strickland vs. Hernandez
The UFC will return to Houston with a main event featuring former middleweight champion Sean Strickland against Anthony Hernandez. Strickland, ranked #4, is looking to rebound from a recent loss, while the #7-ranked Hernandez aims to enter title contention. The event marks the promotion's first return to the city in four years.
- Sean Strickland is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in a bid to reclaim the middleweight title at UFC 312 in February 2025. Prior to that, he had a split decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302. - Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez is riding an eight-fight winning streak, making him the betting favorite at -285. His professional record stands at 15 wins, 2 losses, and 1 no contest. - The event will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Toyota Center in Houston and will be streamed on Paramount+. This marks the UFC's tenth visit to the city. - The last UFC event held in Houston was UFC 271 in February 2022, where Israel Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker by unanimous decision to retain the middleweight championship. - Houston has a rich history of hosting memorable UFC events, including the historic upset of Georges St-Pierre by Matt Serra at UFC 69. - The co-main event features a welterweight bout between Geoff Neal and Uroš Medić. The main card also includes a featherweight fight between Dan Ige and Melquizael Costa, and a heavyweight clash between Serghei Spivac and Ante Delija.
