Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland will try to stay afloat in the 185-pound title chase when he collides with fellow Top 5 contender Anthony Hernandez atop the upcoming UFC Houston fight card, recently made official for Paramount+ on Sat., Feb. 21, 2026 inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Despite his decorated resume, “Tarzan” opened as the +185 underdog against -250 for Hernandez.
That’s according to the number crunchers over at BetMGM.
Strickland (29-7) has not competed since losing his championship rematch to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312 earlier this year in Sydney. The former welterweight holds victories over some of the biggest names in the division, including Israel Adesanya, Nassourdine Imavov, and Paulo Costa, among others.
Hernandez (15-2, 1 NC) has looked unstoppable over the last five years, racking up eight straight wins with six nasty finishes. That includes his submission victory over veteran bruiser Roman Dolidze last August in Las Vegas. A big performance over Strickland is likely to land “Fluffy” the next middleweight title shot.
UFC Houston will also feature the welterweight showdown between 170-pound fan favorites Geoff Neal and Kevin Holland. Elsewhere on the card, heavyweight hurters Ante Delija and Serghei Spivac collide at 265 pounds while Michel Pereira and Zach Reese get busy at middleweight.
Expect more UFC Houston fight card announcements in the coming days.
