\u201cFluffy\u201d isn\u2019t making excuses.<\/p>\n
Surging Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Anthony Hernandez suffered a big setback in the UFC Houston main event<\/a> 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<\/a>).<\/p>\n Just hours after the defeat, Hernandez took to Instagram to address the result and show respect to his opponent.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for the love Houston! The energy was unreal,\u201d Hernandez wrote. \u201cCongratulations to @stricklandmma, he was the better man tonight, much respect. I\u2019ll be back better than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n The loss snapped Hernandez\u2019s impressive eight-fight win streak \u2014 a run that included six finishes and victories over notable names such as Roman Dolidze (watch highlights<\/a>), Roman Kopylov (watch highlights<\/a>), Michel Pereira (watch highlights<\/a>), and Brendan Allen. During that stretch, many viewed \u201cFluffy\u201d as a legitimate dark horse in the 185-pound title picture.<\/p>\n That momentum, however, takes a hit with the stoppage loss.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll need to rebuild \u2014 again.<\/p>\n