Anthony Hernandez responds to Sean Strickland’s anti-Mexican taunts ahead of UFC Houston: ‘Going to torture him’

Tensions are rising between top middleweights Anthony Hernandez and Sean Strickland ahead of their UFC Houston main event.

In one of the most important fights of 2026, former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland will look to stop Anthony Hernandez’s meteoric rise at UFC Houston this weekend. Strickland returns to the Octagon for the first time since a UFC 312 loss to Dricus du Plessis last year, followed by a lengthy suspension due to an incident outside of the Octagon.

Strickland is known for taunting his opponents leading up to fights. With a lack of a filter, Strickland’s mouth can sometimes spew controversial rants that tend to offend some fans.

Ahead of UFC Houston, Strickland posted a Photoshopped image of Strickland in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uniform, with Hernandez wearing a sombrero, in a shot at Hernandez’s Mexican heritage. It’s safe to say that Hernandez didn’t take kindly to Strickland’s cheap shots.

Anthony Hernandez plans to ‘f—— torture’ Sean Strickland after pre-fight ICE post

In a recent interview with the New York Post, Hernandez responded to Strickland’s controversial pre-fight taunts.

 

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“Honestly, I laughed when I saw that s—. If that’s the best you’ve got to get in my head, it’s going to be a long f—— night,” Hernandez said of Strickland.

“It’s f—– up, yeah, and I don’t like seeing s— like that. I don’t like that my people gotta go through s— like that. Bu tit’s life, and it’s the reality of it. Some people are just dirtbags and like to bring it up.

“I hope he keeps that same online energy in the cage because I’m going to f—– torture him.”

The Hernandez vs. Strickland winner could be next for UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev’s first title defense. The high stakes of this weekend’s main event just got bigger after their recent back-and-forths.

What is your prediction for Anthony Hernandez vs. Sean Strickland? Let us know in the comments!