Sean Strickland is preparing to face Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston on February 22, 2026, presenting a notably unexpected game plan. After losing the UFC middleweight world title to Dricus Du Plessis and spending a year away from competition, Strickland appears to be adjusting his approach by emphasizing grappling, a significant shift for a fighter known primarily for his striking abilities. His attempt to expand his skill set is part of his effort to work his way back to a title opportunity.
Hernandez’s Grappling Prowess Poses a Major Challenge
This decision to focus on grappling comes at a difficult moment, considering Anthony Hernandez’s reputation as a skilled submission artist. Hernandez has finished half of his opponents by submission, including some of the sport’s top grapplers such as Rodolfo Vieira, making the ground game an area where he typically holds the advantage. Despite this, Strickland remains confident in his ability to handle the challenge.
Strickland’s Training Focus and Mindset for the Fight
Strickland revealed that although grappling hasn’t historically been a large part of his fighting style, especially this late in his career, he has intentionally shifted his training emphasis toward wrestling. He highlighted the importance of endurance to wrestle effectively throughout five rounds and expressed confidence in his resilience against Hernandez’s takedowns and control.
“I’ve never done much grappling, especially this late into my career, so this is a test that I wanted. 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, so it should be fun.”
— Sean Strickland, UFC Middleweight Contender
Confidence in Grappling Exchanges and Fight Outcome
Strickland not only believes he can withstand Hernandez’s grappling pressure but also predicts that he will outperform Hernandez on the ground. He anticipates the fight will largely revolve around grappling exchanges across the full five rounds and plans to capitalize on those moments to secure a technical knockout finishing late in the match.
“I think we will grapple. I’m not the hardest guy to take down — and I don’t care about getting taken down. 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.”
— Sean Strickland, UFC Middleweight Contender
Public Sharing of Strickland’s Gameplan
The strategy and outlook for the fight were shared during an interview that was posted on the official UFC News account on X, reinforcing Strickland’s focus on grappling and his confidence in ending the fight by stoppage in the later rounds.
“I’ll TKO him in the 4th or 5th”
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA), UFC News via X
Implications of Strickland’s Strategic Shift
This upcoming matchup marks a significant evolution in Sean Strickland’s career as he moves from being a primarily striking-based fighter toward incorporating grappling more prominently. Facing an accomplished grappler like Hernandez will be a rigorous test of this adjustment. If successful, Strickland’s broadened skill set could not only secure him a key victory at UFC Houston but also signal a renewed path toward championship contention. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if this gamble on increased grappling pays off in the octagon next weekend.
"I'll TKO him in the 4th or 5th"
Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) envisions a lot of grappling followed by a finish of Hernandez in the main event of #UFCHouston this Saturday
Preview the #UFCHouston card ➡️ https://t.co/NUcYuG2XNx pic.twitter.com/QU7ruvl6S5
— UFC News (@UFCNews) February 17, 2026
