Strickland and Hernandez Win at UFC Fight Night Houston

- Sean Strickland secured his victory over Anthony Hernandez via a technical knockout at 2:33 of the third round. The win came after Strickland landed a debilitating knee to the body, followed by a swarm of punches that prompted the referee to stop the fight. - The loss for Hernandez snapped his eight-fight winning streak, his first defeat since being stopped by Kevin Holland in 2020. Before this main event, Hernandez held the #4 ranking in the middleweight division. - This fight marked a significant return for former middleweight champion Strickland, who was coming off a one-year layoff following a title fight loss to Dricus du Plessis. - In his post-fight interview, Strickland called for a title shot against the current champion, Khamzat Chimaev, potentially setting up a high-stakes championship bout. - The main card in Houston was marked by several quick finishes, including first-round knockouts or TKOs by Uros Medic, Jacobe Smith, and Melquizael Costa. - Melquizael Costa earned a notable victory over Dan Ige with a TKO that came from a spinning back kick and follow-up punches late in the first round. - In the co-main event, heavyweight Serghei Spivac earned a unanimous decision victory over Ante Delija in a back-and-forth battle. - Anthony Hernandez acknowledged his performance post-fight, stating he "got sloppy and caught with a f---king knee up the center" and planned to go "back to the f---ing drawing board."