A fight with true title implications closed the curtain on an entertaining UFC event in Houston, Texas, on Saturday. Sean Strickland hoped to force his way back into championship contention, but to do so, he would need to end Anthony Hernandez‘s eight-fight win streak.
‘Fluffy’ entered the octagon full of confidence, but a big test lay ahead. Despite being flawless for half a decade, with his most recent defeat coming almost six years prior, he had yet to face anybody of his opponent’s caliber up to this point in his career. Several setbacks would force a prolonged stint on the sidelines for Strickland, but he wanted to remind the world that he was competing for UFC gold just last year.
Advertisement
As he made his way to the ringside, Sean Strickland looked hyper-focused, and that translated into his performance early on as he controlled the fight with his signature jab. The opening minutes of the first round saw Hernandez unable to land any clean offense, struggling to find his timing while being kept at bay by Strickland’s tricky style. After a reserved start to the fight on both sides, a brawl ensued in the latter stages. Both Strickland and Hernandez scored significant shots and rocked each other, though the bigger and more consistent moments went to the former champion.
The second round brought more of the same, minus the standout moments of the first. The middleweight contenders kept their volume high and their output consistent. As the 10-minute mark flew by, Strickland would have been the happier man, arguably doing enough to secure both rounds.
When the halfway point of the fight rolled around, it was clear that the caliber of fighter that Sean Strickland is was causing problems for his opponent. Just over two minutes into the third round, Strickland landed a damaging knee that spelled the beginning of the end for Anthony Hernandez. Trying to show heart as he often does, Hernandez endured the knee, but the following onslaught from Strickland was enough to send the Mexican-American crumbling to the canvas, forcing the referee to make a choice, which brought an end to the fight.
The official time of the TKO finish was 2:33 of the third round.
