MMA News

Tag: UFC Houston

  • ‘Overthink Nothing’ – Sean Strickland Stops Anthony Hernandez

    ‘Overthink Nothing’ – Sean Strickland Stops Anthony Hernandez

    Sean Strickland wants his middleweight championship back and thinks he’s ready for Khamzat Chimaev, making that statement with a finish of Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston.

    Strickland started the fight by working behind the jab, looking to keep Hernandez at bay and prevent any takedown attempts. Strickland landed a strong right hand that caught Hernandez’s attention about halfway through the first. Hernandez, however, battled hard during the second half of the round, landing a couple of strong rights.

    Strickland continued to work a strong jab during the second round, while Hernandez looked to come forward and turn the momentum with his pressure.

    Strickland ended things with a body shot that hurt “Fluffy” during the third, following it up with clinch knees to the body and some ground shots before the referee stopped the action.

    This was Strickland’s first fight since losing his UFC middleweight championship rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 one year ago. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the title at UFC 293 before losing to DDP at UFC 297.

    “Fluffy” Hernandez sees an eight-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Strickland. He came into this bout off a dominant submission of Roman Dolidze this past summer.

  • Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan Headlines UFC Vegas 115

    Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan Headlines UFC Vegas 115

    A lightweight main event has been booked to headline UFC Vegas 115 on April 4, as former lightweight title challenger Renato Moicano faces Chris Duncan.

    The UFC confirmed the pairing in an announcement during the UFC Houston broadcast.

    What makes this fight particularly interesting is that both men train at American Top Team in Florida. It is unknown which man, if either, will not train at the facility for this bout.

    Moicano is looking to rebound from a pair of losses, losing a short-notice lightweight title bout with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 and dropping a decision to Beneil Dariush at UFC 317. Moicano is currently ranked No. 10 in the division.

    Moicano was scheduled to face Brian Ortega at UFC 326 in early March, but the bout was scrapped following an injury to Ortega.

    Duncan has won four straight and is 6-1 in the UFC since coming in off a knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series. He most recently submitted Terrance McKinney at UFC 323 in December.

    UFC Vegas 115 takes place on April 4 from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • ‘Just Gained A Lot Of Fans’ – Uros Medic KOs Geoff Neal

    ‘Just Gained A Lot Of Fans’ – Uros Medic KOs Geoff Neal

    Uros Medic has scored the biggest win of his career and has most likely forced his way into the welterweight rankings, scoring a first-round knockout of Geoff Neal in the UFC Houston co-main event.

    Medic eyed an early end to the fight, looking to use his speed to set up power shots. Medic appeared to be getting the better of Neal in the opening minute of the fight.

    Medic landed a brutal combination, cracking Neal with a left hand and dropping him out cold for the win.

    Medic has now won three straight and four of his last five while retaining his 100 percent finish rate.

    Medic called out Leon Edwards for a fight this summer.

    Neal has now lost four of his last five. This is his second straight fight where he was knocked out in brutal fashion, following his loss to Carlos Prates at UFC 319.

  • VIDEO: Melquizael Costa Becomes First To Finish Dan Ige

    VIDEO: Melquizael Costa Becomes First To Finish Dan Ige

    Melquizael Costa extends his win streak and will most likely become a ranked featherweight, putting away Dan Ige at UFC Houston.

    Ige looked to take control of the fight, coming forward with pressure and mixing in a takedown attempt. Costa, however, showed strong work in the clinch to take momentum, adding in some kicks that left their mark on Ige.

    Costa then finished things by landing a spinning kick on the side of Ige’s head, crumbling him and landing follow-up shots to end the fight.

    Costa becomes the first in the UFC to finish Ige.

    After starting his UFC career 1-2, Costa has now won six consecutive fights. He came into this bout off a head kick knockout of Morgan Charriere this past December.

    Ige has now lost four of his last five, and he is 4-8 in his last 12.

  • VIDEO: Jacobe Smith Violently KOs Josiah Harrell at UFC Houston

    Jacobe Smith is making a case of being a rising star in the welterweight division, stamping such with a brutal first-round knockout of Josiah Harrell at UFC Houston.

    Smith controlled the fight from the beginning, landing some solid right hands while stopping the takedown attempts of Harrell. One of those attempts from Harrell resulted in Smith rolling through and getting into top control.

    Once there, Smith rained down blows to knock out Harrell. He then used his post-fight interview to call out Kevin Holland.

    Smith now moves to 12-0 and is 3-0 in the UFC since arriving off a performance on Dana White’s Contender Series. Last year, Smith knocked out Preston Parsons and choked out Niko Price in the Octagon.

    This marked the first loss of Harrell’s MMA career. This marked his UFC debut, coming into this bout off a third-round win over Bekmyrza Dosmatov in LFA last month.

  • VIDEO: Joselyne Edwards Injures, Submits Nora Cornolle After Slam

    VIDEO: Joselyne Edwards Injures, Submits Nora Cornolle After Slam

    A UFC Houston card that seemed to start slow picked up in an eye-opening way during the prelims, courtesy of Joselyne Edwards defeating Nora Cornolle.

    Cornolle controlled the action to take the first round on all three judges’ cards. But the second round, however, saw things change with Cornolle in Edwards’ grasp.

    Near the midway point of the second round, Edwards lifted Cornolle and slammed her to the mat with a big impact. Cornolle seemed to be finished, as Edwards pounded with some follow-up shots.

    Cornolle stood up but still seemed dazed, and Edwards took advantage, scoring a quick takedown and locking in a choke for the submission win.

    The aftermath would see Cornolle on the mat in pain, clutching at the shoulder she landed on in the slam. Cornolle needed assistance in leaving the Octagon.

    This was a rematch from UFC Paris in September 2023, a bout that Cornolle won via decision.

    Edwards has now won four straight. She entered this bout off finishes of Chelsea Chandler and Priscila Cachoeira last year.

    Cornolle has now lost three of her last four. She is 2-3 since the win over Edwards.

  • UFC Houston: Strickland vs. Hernandez Results & Highlights

    UFC Houston: Strickland vs. Hernandez Results & Highlights

    UFC Houston results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The UFC is on the road with a Fight Night card for the first time this year. The main event will feature a key middleweight battle between Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez – Middleweight Main Event

    This bout marks Strickland’s first since losing a middleweight title rematch to Dricus Du Plessis last year. Strickland defeated Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight title in upset fashion at UFC 293, but he dropped the gold in a close decision against Du Plessis at UFC 297. In the time between the two title fights with DDP, Strickland bested Paulo Costa via split decision at UFC 302.

    After a win on Dana White’s Contender Series was overturned and a 1-2 start to his Octagon tenure, Hernandez enters tonight on an eight-fight win streak. In 2025, “Fluffy” scored a unanimous decision over Brendan Allen and a dominant submission of Roman Dolidze.

    The co-main event will be a welterweight battle between Geoff Neal and Uros Medic. Neal enters this fight with losses in three of his last four. This is his first fight since getting knocked out by Carlos Prates at UFC 319. Medic, meanwhile, has won three of his last four, including first-round finishes of Gilbert Urbina and Muslim Salikhov last year.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC Houston!

    How to Watch UFC Houston

    • Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026
    • Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT
    • Main Card: 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT

    UFC Houston Quick Results

    • Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez — Sean Strickland def. Anthony Hernandez via TKO (Rd. 3, 2:23)
    • Co-Main: Geoff Neal vs. Uros Medic — Uros Medic def. Geoff Neal via KO (Rd. 1, 1:19)
    • Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa — Melquizael Costa def. Dan Ige via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:56)
    • Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija — Serghei Spivac def. Ante Delija via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
    • Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell — Jacobe Smith def. Josiah Harrell via KO (Rd. 1, 3:01)
    • Zachary Reese vs. Michel Pereira — Michel Pereira def. Zachary Reese via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    UFC Houston Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    Women’s Flyweight: Juliana Miller vs. Carli Judice

    Result: Carli Judice def. Juliana Miller via unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)

    Featherweight: Jordan Leavitt vs. Yadier del Valle

    Result: Jordan Leavitt def. Yadier del Valle via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Welterweight: Phil Rowe vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani

    Result: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Phil Rowe via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Punahele Soriano

    Result: Punahele Soriano def. Ramiz Brahimaj via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle vs. Joselyne Edwards

    Result: Joselyne Edwards def. Nora Cornolle via submission (rear-naked choke)(Rd. 2, 2:44)

    Flyweight: Alden Coria vs. Luis Gurule

    Result: Alden Coria def. Luis Gurule via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Flyweight: Ode Osbourne vs. Alibi Idiris

    Result: Alibi Idiris def. Ode Osbourne via unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)

    Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani vs. Carlos Leal

    Result: Carlos Leal def. Chidi Njokuani via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28

    Main Card (Paramount+, 8 PM ET)

    Middleweight: Zachary Reese vs. Michel Pereira

    Result: Michel Pereira def. Zachary Reese via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Welterweight: Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell

    Result: Jacobe Smith def. Josiah Harrell via KO (Rd. 1, 3:01)

    Heavyweight: Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija

    Result: Serghei Spivac def. Ante Delija via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa

    Result: Melquizael Costa def. Dan Ige via TKO (Rd. 1, 4:56)

    Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Uros Medic

    Result: Uros Medic def. Geoff Neal via KO (Rd. 1, 1:19)

    Middleweight: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez

    Result: Sean Strickland def. Anthony Hernandez via TKO (Rd. 3, 2:23)

  • UFC Houston Betting Odds: Hernandez Favored Over Strickland

    UFC Houston Betting Odds: Hernandez Favored Over Strickland

    Betting odds for UFC Houston are locked in ahead of tonight’s card, and the books have made their picks clear across the board. These are near-final lines, so don’t expect much movement before the first bell.

    In the main event, Anthony Hernandez is a significant -240 favorite over former middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who comes back at +205. The total is set at 4.5 rounds, with the under (+156) slightly favored, suggesting oddsmakers expect a finish if Hernandez gets his way.

    Anthony Hernandez Reveals His Game Plan for UFC Houston

    Geoff Neal is a -190 favorite against Uros Medic (+165) in their welterweight matchup. The fight has a 1.5-round total, with the over (+140) favored — a reflection of both men’s tendency to get the job done early.

    Melquizael Costa is a -230 chalk over Dan Ige (+195), with the total set at 2.5. The under (+207) is on the board, meaning oddsmakers strongly expect this one to end before the third round.

    Spivac vs. Delija a Near Pick’em

    The closest fight on the card per the odds is Ante Delija vs. Serghei Spivac, where Delija is a slim -120 favorite with Spivac at +100. The 1.5-round total sits at +112/-132, making this one of the more unpredictable bouts of the night.

    Michel Pereira Favored Over Zach Reese

    Michel Pereira opens as a -160 favorite against Zach Reese (+140). The over 1.5 rounds is +105, indicating some uncertainty about whether this one goes the distance — fitting given Pereira’s unpredictable style.

    UFC Houston gets underway tonight. Stay tuned to MMA News for live results and post-fight coverage.

    Data: BetOnline

  • Strickland, Hernandez Make Weight for UFC Houston

    Strickland, Hernandez Make Weight for UFC Houston

    Sean Strickland and Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez have both made weight for their main event bout at UFC Houston, with Strickland admitting the weight cut was harder on him than any fight could be.

    Strickland stepped on the scale first and hit 185lb on the dot — going one pound under the non-title limit in what reads as a statement of intent from the former middleweight champion. Hernandez made use of the extra allowance and came in at 186lb, making the fight officially on for Saturday night.

    Strickland’s Brutal Cut

    The road to the scale was not easy for Strickland, who has been out of action for over a year since losing his title rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 last February. During his absence, his weight ballooned to a reported 230lb — nearly two full weight classes above the 185lb middleweight limit.

    Strickland shared a video on his Instagram story the night before weigh-ins showing the toll the cut was taking. He posted screenshots of an intense two-hour workout that burned 1,214 calories, with his heart rate climbing from a resting 38bpm to highs of 141bpm during the hardest stretches.

    “This is what we really get paid to do,” Strickland told his followers. “Cutting weight is worse than the fight, but we are almost there.”

    It’s not the first time Strickland has struggled with the middleweight limit. Earlier in his career he competed at welterweight, and in 2023 he took a short-notice fight at 204lb after insisting he couldn’t reach 185lb in time. His success at middleweight has kept him in the division, but getting back down after a year at 230lb is a different kind of challenge.

    What’s at Stake Saturday

    Despite the drama surrounding his cut, Strickland arrived at the scale in good shape and ready to go. With Nassourdine Imavov as the current top contender for Khamzat Chimaev’s middleweight title, a statement win for Strickland — the last man to defeat Imavov, back in January 2023 — would put him firmly back in the title picture.

    Hernandez enters on an eight-fight winning streak, including victories over Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze, and is favored by the oddsmakers heading into Saturday night in Houston.

  • Sean Strickland Predicts He’ll Out-Wrestle Fluffy at UFC Houston

    Sean Strickland Predicts He’ll Out-Wrestle Fluffy at UFC Houston

    Sean Strickland feels he has all the skills that will give him a big edge when he faces off with Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston this weekend.

    Strickland is known for being a pressure-heavy fighter, but most of that comes from his boxing. Strickland, in fact, prefers to use his fists when in combat.

    But that doesn’t mean he’s not a good grappler; in fact, Strickland, who is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is considered underrated in the discipline.

    Hernandez is known for his grappling, but Strickland says anyone expecting “Fluffy” to succeed with takedowns and wrestling might be in for a surprise.

    During the UFC Houston media day, Strickland hinted that he may use grappling to help him set up a late finish.

    “I’m not the hardest guy to take down — and I don’t care about getting taken down,” Strickland said. “I think it’s going to be a five-round grappling match, which I will out-grapple him. And then I’ll TKO him in the fourth or fifth round.”

    Strickland, in fact, says he’s been looking forward to this matchup with Hernandez as a means of testing his grappling capabilities.

    “I’ve never done much grappling, especially this late into my career, so this is a test that I wanted,” Strickland said. “I do much more wrestling than I do striking in my training camps — so really it’s just having the gas tank to wrestle for five rounds.

    “Generally, he takes guys down and breaks them, but I’m not a guy who breaks.”

    Strickland is 4-2 in his last six. This will be his first fight since losing a middleweight championship rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312. Strickland upset Israel Adesanya for the title at UFC 293 but dropped the title to DDP at UFC 297.

    Hernandez has won eight straight, including a decision win over Brendan Allen and a submission win over Roman Dolidze last year.