Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has disclosed that he is experiencing double vision after cutting weight for his main‑event fight against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez at UFC Houston. Footage Strickland shared on social media shows him visibly uncomfortable in a sauna while shedding the final pounds, and he describes the process as more painful than the fight itself.
Sean Strickland Vision Issues Due to Weight Cut
Strickland said in a video posted on his Instagram account that he can effectively only see out of one eye during the cut and that he has “like double vision.” He explained that he often walks around with one eye closed in the days leading up to the weigh‑in, calling that the worst part of cutting weight. “This is what we really get paid to do,” he added, before asserting that the weight‑cut process is worse than the five‑round main‑event scrap he is scheduled to deliver.
Reports indicate that Strickland’s walk‑around weight sits around 230 pounds, meaning he must cut roughly 45 pounds to meet the 185‑pound middleweight standard. For this Houston assignment, he showed clips of himself completing a two‑hour workout that burned more than 1,200 calories and drove his heart rate up from a resting 38 beats per minute to peaks near 141, all while sitting in a sauna. Despite these extreme conditions, he reportedly hit the 185‑pound mark on the scale, while Hernandez came in at 186.
Medical experts and long‑time observers have flagged Strickland’s situation as a stark example of the physical toll extreme weight cuts can exact. The combination of dehydration, electrolyte shifts, and prolonged sauna use can impair vision, coordination, and cognitive function, which raises questions about how safely a fighter can perform even after a legal cut. Strickland himself has stressed that the same double‑vision issue has occurred “every time” he cuts weight, suggesting it is a recurring physiological reaction rather than a one‑off.
At the same time, Strickland has framed the struggle as part of his identity. In one of his clips he said, “It’s worse than the fight, but we’re almost there,” signaling that he still intends to compete despite the discomfort. His comments sit in contrast to his usual, no‑emotional‑show persona, and fans have noted that seeing him in visible pain is unusual for a fighter who typically downplays setbacks.
The weight‑cut revelations arrive as Strickland looks to rebound in the middleweight division after a year‑plus absence and a failed title‑reclamation attempt against Dricus Du Plessis. Whether he can overcome both the physical effects of the cut and the high‑level challenge of Hernandez will be a major storyline heading into tomorrow’s headlining bout.
