A ranked contender bout, potentially riddled with future title implications, has officially been scheduled.
The UFC announced on Saturday that former middleweight champion Sean Strickland will take on Anthony Hernandez on Feb. 21 in the main event of a Fight Night card in Houston.
When Strickland (29-7-0) steps into the Toyota Centre octagon, it’ll be the No. 3-ranked contender’s first fight in over a year, when he lost his title rematch with Dricus Du Plessis (also now a former champ).
He is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his role in a post-fight scuffle in Las Vegas last June. The ban is set to reach its conclusion next month.
Strickland originally earned the 185-pound belt with a unanimous decision win over Israel Adesanya in 2023, but promptly lost it in his first title defence against Du Plessis at UFC 297 in Toronto.
Sandwiched between his losses to “Stillknocks,” Strickland took care of business against Paulo Costa via split decision at UFC 302.
As for Hernandez (15-2-0), the bout undoubtedly represents the toughest test for one of the middleweight division’s hottest fighters.
“Fluffy” is in the midst of an eight-fight win streak, not having lost since a first-round finish against Kevin Holland five years ago.
Two of his last three wins have come against ranked opponents, first a unanimous decision over Brendan Allen (No. 5), then a fourth-round submission against Roman Dolidze (No. 12) — catapulting Hernandez to the No. 4 spot.
Hernandez was scheduled to take on a fellow rising middleweight in Reiner de Ridder in October, but he had to withdraw due to injury.
Now he’ll get to take on a former champ in Strickland, with both fighters hoping an impressive win can earn them a shot at dethroning Khamzat Chimaev, who’s yet to have an opponent confirmed for his much-anticipated first title defence.
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