Anthony Hernandez isn’t losing sleep over Sean Strickland’s trash talk, but he hasn’t forgotten it either.
In one of the biggest middleweight fights of 2026, Anthony Hernandez headlines UFC Houston against former champion Sean Strickland. The stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner could position himself as the next challenger for middleweight king Khamzat Chimaev.
Strickland returns for the first time since his loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, followed by a lengthy suspension stemming from an incident outside the cage. As usual, he hasn’t kept things strictly professional in the buildup.
Ahead of UFC Houston, Strickland posted a Photoshopped image depicting himself in an ICE uniform while portraying Anthony Hernandez in stereotypical Mexican attire, a jab at Hernandez’s heritage. The post quickly drew backlash. Anthony Hernandez addressed the situation in an interview with the New York Post, and he didn’t mince words.
“Honestly, I laughed when I saw that s—. If that’s the best you’ve got to get in my head, it’s going to be a long f—— night,” Hernandez said.
“It’s f—– up, yeah, and I don’t like seeing s— like that. I don’t like that my people gotta go through s— like that. But it’s life, and it’s the reality of it. Some people are just dirtbags and like to bring it up.
“I hope he keeps that same online energy in the cage because I’m going to f—– torture him.”
Anthony Hernandez enters UFC Houston riding an eight-fight win streak. His relentless pace, suffocating grappling, and punishing pressure have made him one of the most dangerous men at 185 pounds.
The Mexican-American contender says he’s received an outpouring of support from fans who want to see him silence Strickland.
“For sure, I’ve been getting a lot of messages, like ‘f— him up, do this,’ but at the end of the day I’ve got a lot of people behind me, which is a f—— beautiful blessing and I love that,” Hernandez said. “But I’m going to just go out there and do what I do best.
“I’m not focused on trying to take him out of there fast in the first round. I don’t mind f—— torturing a motherf— for all 25 minutes. I really enjoy hurting people, as f—– up as it sounds. It’s therapeutic as hell to me. So I don’t know, I’m going to come and if I can get the finish, awesome. If not, then I’m going to f—— enjoy it.”
That mindset has defined Anthony Hernandez’s run. He doesn’t chase quick finishes recklessly. He breaks opponents down. He drowns them.
Anthony Hernandez understands what’s at stake. A dominant win over a former UFC champion would almost certainly put him next in line for a title shot. Still, he refuses to treat this fight any differently.
“No, it’s the same s—,” Hernandez said. “I tell everyone I’m not where I want to be. I want the f—— title, so it’s just another fight. Every fight is big as you make it. Yeah, it’s a big fight, but it’s just another one.”
At UFC Houston, Anthony Hernandez has the chance to do more than extend his winning streak. He can silence the noise, answer the disrespect in the cage, and punch his ticket to a middleweight title shot.
