Saturday night in Houston, former middleweight champ Sean Strickland (No. 3) takes on No. 4 Anthony Hernandez at the Toyota Center, streaming on Paramount+. Rankings-wise, this is simple: two top-five guys fighting for position in a division that doesn’t wait around for anyone.
The fight would’ve been big on its own. Then Strickland grabbed a mic.
Sean Strickland just went on an INSANE rant at his first UFC Paramount media day 😳😅 pic.twitter.com/fpJvVYZoQI
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) February 18, 2026
Over the past week, he’s made headlines for comments about women’s MMA, saying it’s irrelevant and comparing it to the WNBA. He also said women are best suited for traditional roles like motherhood and homemaking, and argued that society has empowered them too much. On top of that, he criticized Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance, accusing the NFL of pushing an agenda. He later doubled down on X.
None of that has anything to do with jabs, takedowns, or cardio — but it definitely has people paying attention.
Reactions have been predictable. Some fans appreciate that he says whatever he thinks, no filter. Others think the comments crossed lines. Either way, the spotlight’s brighter now.
Lost in all of it is the actual fight, which is a good one.
Strickland fights the way he talks — straightforward, pressure-heavy, constant. He moves forward, throws in volume, makes you work every second. Not flashy, just steady and stubborn. Five rounds of that can break people.
Hernandez is a different problem. Physical, aggressive, strong grappling base. He’ll close distance, clinch, drag you down, make it uncomfortable. He’s already said he plans to “torture” Strickland in there. That’s not subtle.
The matchup feels clear: if Strickland keeps it standing at his pace, he’s in his world. If Hernandez turns it into scrambles and ground exchanges, things get interesting fast.
Outside noise or not, this one matters. The middleweight division doesn’t have room for hesitation. A win keeps you in the title mix. A loss sends you back to chasing.
Saturday, the talk stops. Five rounds. Two top contenders. And whatever you think about Strickland, people are going to be watching.
