Sean Strickland shocked the world at UFC Houston, scoring his first finish in nearly three years and re-establishing himself as a legitimate contender in the 185-pound division.
The former middleweight titleholder stepped into the main event spotlight against surging contender Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez in the evening’s main event.
Despite walking into the bout as a near 3-to-1 underdog, Strickland looked spectacular through the first two rounds, utilizing his jab and teep kicks to keep Hernandez at bay. Near the halfway point of the third round, Strickland caught ‘Fluffy’ coming in with a nasty knee up the middle.
With Hernandez clearly compromised, Strickland put his pedal to the metal, unleashing a flurry of strikes and forcing Hernandez to retreat against the fence. Before long, ‘Fluffy’ hit the mat, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in and call for the stoppage.
Official Result: Sean Strickland def. Anthony Hernandez via TKO (knee to strikes) at 2:33 of Round 3.
