“Fluffy” isn’t making excuses.
Surging Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Anthony Hernandez suffered a big setback in the UFC Houston main event last night (Sat., Feb. 21, 2026), getting stopped by former champion Sean Strickland in the third round inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas (watch highlights).
Just hours after the defeat, Hernandez took to Instagram to address the result and show respect to his opponent.
“Thank you for the love Houston! The energy was unreal,” Hernandez wrote. “Congratulations to @stricklandmma, he was the better man tonight, much respect. I’ll be back better than ever.”
The loss snapped Hernandez’s impressive eight-fight win streak — a run that included six finishes and victories over notable names such as Roman Dolidze (watch highlights), Roman Kopylov (watch highlights), Michel Pereira (watch highlights), and Brendan Allen. During that stretch, many viewed “Fluffy” as a legitimate dark horse in the 185-pound title picture.
That momentum, however, takes a hit with the stoppage loss.
Beyond the blemish on his record, the bigger setback could be his standing in the championship queue. It took Hernandez eight straight wins to even sniff title contention, and a loss in this possible No. 1 contender-type spot likely means he’ll need to rebuild — again.
Still, all is far from lost. Hernandez remains a top-five Middleweight and one of the division’s most aggressive, fan-friendly fighters. A couple of statement wins could quickly put him back in the conversation.
Perhaps a matchup against the winner of Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer makes sense as his next move — a high-risk, high-reward opportunity to reestablish himself as a true contender.
For now, though, Hernandez is taking the loss in stride — and promising a stronger return.
