June 29, 2026, 2:40 p.m. ET
Anthony Hernandez is putting ego aside as he attempts to get back on track in the UFC Fight Night 285 main event.
Hernandez (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) had his seven-fight winning streak snapped in February when he suffered a TKO loss to Sean Strickland (31-7 MMA, 18-7 UFC) in a middleweight title eliminator.
Strickland went on to claim UFC gold from Khamzat Chimaev in his next fight, while Hernandez looks to rebound when he takes on Gregory Rodrigues (19-6 MMA, 10-3 UFC) in the Aug. 22 headliner at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. (Paramount+)
Hernandez has been in some training with Strickland in advance of the fight, noting he got some “tips and tricks” from the current 185-pound king that he hopes will put him back on the right path (via Instagram):
Hernandez, No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, will have to defend his spot against No. 8-ranked Rodrigues in the five-round bout at UFC Fight Night 285.
For Strickland, meanwhile, he said he is targeting the first defense of his second UFC title reign to happen in December, potentially against Nassourdine Imavov or a rematch with Chimaev.
