Sean Strickland Vs. Anthony Hernandez – How Does It Play Out?
Sean Strickland is targeting Anthony Hernandez as the name who will prepare him to face the middleweight champ Khamzat Chimaev.
Strickland has suffered two defeats in his last three bouts. He lost his middleweight title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297. He followed that up with a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302, only to then lose to Du Plessis in their title rematch at UFC 312. Chimaev, though, defeated Du Plessis at UFC 319 to claim the middleweight crown. Meanwhile, Hernandez has back-to-back victories this year over Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze. Sean believes a win over him would take him closer to a title shot.
“I would imagine me and ‘Fluffy’ might be going at it. I imagine that is the fight to make. I don’t want (Israel Adesanya). I’m not going to fight Izzy. I think it’s the easier fight for me, but I want to fight that little Chechen w—-. I want to fight somebody like ‘Fluffy.’ He puts me in title contention, especially with him, because all he does (is grapple). He’s like the American Chimaev.
“If I just go and outwrestle that f—– for five rounds, it’s like, ‘All right, f— you, w—-. Go beat your cans and let me know when you’re ready.’ That’s what I’m looking for. More fights that put me back in the title. I’m one of the best grapplers in the UFC. I just don’t get to do it, but I’m one of the best grapplers in the UFC. The reason I want to fight him out of anybody is just to say, ‘All right, 25 minutes of the American Chimaev,” Sean said
The Approach
Strickland’s path to victory involves using his trademark high-volume striking and controlling the range, forcing Hernandez to take risks to close the distance. Strickland will likely use his stiff, non-stop jab to keep Hernandez on the outside and constantly score points. He will rely on his upright, almost robotic stance not just for offense, but as a defensive measure to create space and discourage takedown entries.
For Hernandez, the goal is simple: close the distance immediately and turn the fight into a grappling match. Hernandez is known for his relentless, chaotic pace and excellent chain-wrestling, a style that was pivotal in his dominant wins over Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze. Hernandez should use feints and movement to enter striking range, but his true objective is securing the takedown or forcing a clinch against the fence. The fight would prepare Sean for Chimaev, but is that enough?
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