Overview
- Saturday’s Strickland vs. Hernandez headliner remains scheduled at Houston’s Toyota Center, with prelims at 5 p.m. ET and the main card on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET.
- During media day, Sean Strickland disparaged women’s MMA and used anti-gay language while also having recently posted an ICE-themed image depicting Anthony Hernandez in stereotypical Mexican attire.
- Anthony Hernandez said the post did not faze him and vowed to “torture” Strickland in the cage, framing the bout as a chance to strengthen his push for a title shot.
- Former two-division champion Amanda Nunes publicly rebuked Strickland’s remarks, and Variety sought comment from Paramount and the UFC, which have offered no public response.
- The winner is widely viewed as moving into position to challenge middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, and Strickland predicted he would out-grapple Hernandez and win by late TKO.