Sean Strickland is back and he wants Khamzat Chimaev next

Sean Strickland needed a statement performance Saturday night at UFC Houston and he delivered one. More than a year out of the cage, coming off a lackluster title shot against Dricus du Plessis that went nowhere, Strickland walked into the Toyota Center and stopped Anthony Hernandez in the third round to remind everyone exactly who he is.

Hernandez came in riding an eight fight win streak and was considered a real test. He found moments in Round 2 with his striking but never seriously threatened Strickland’s rhythm.

What was surprising was how little Hernandez went to the grappling, which is supposed to be his equalizer. Instead he stood and traded with a guy who has been doing this for a long time and is very good at it.

Sean Strickland worked behind his jab all night, piled up volume, and then in the third round a knee to the body buckled Hernandez and the follow up punches finished it at 2:33. First stoppage for Strickland since 2023 and it could not have come at a better time for his career.

Sean Strickland earns TKO in Round 3

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS 🧳@SStricklandMMA earns a TKO tonight in Round 3!

[ #UFCHouston | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/rv3yq5ZLfe

— UFC (@ufc) February 22, 2026

Postgame he kept it short. Sean Strickland wants Khamzat Chimaev. That’s the fight. The undefeated middleweight champion has been walking through everyone and Strickland is now the most credible name asking for a shot. Whether the UFC makes that fight next is the question, but Strickland gave them no reason to look anywhere else.

The co-main event was equally impressive in a completely different way. Uros Medic walked out and cracked Geoff Neal with a left hook to the temple 79 seconds into the first round and it was lights out. Clean, fast, devastating.

OH MY GOODNESS

MEDIĆ DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT!!

📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/hqws79dl08

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) February 22, 2026

Neal has now lost four of his last five and is in a tough spot in the welterweight division. Medic looks like a guy who is about to become a real problem for that weight class.

Melquizael Costa also continued his run up the featherweight rankings with a spinning back kick to the face of Dan Ige at 4:56 of the first round. Six fight win streak. That kick is going to be on highlight reels for a while.

Sean Strickland, Medic, Costa and Jacobe Smith all took home $100,000 performance bonuses. Good card top to bottom. Combat sports weekend delivered again.

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