Anthony Hernandez is outraged by Sean Strickland’s controversial jab targeting his heritage.
Hernandez is scheduled to square off against Strickland in a crucial middleweight main event at UFC Houston this weekend (Saturday, February 21) at the Toyota Center in Texas.
The former UFC middleweight champion has a reputation for blunt remarks that often stir controversy, and he sparked it again last month while trying to promote the upcoming fight with aggressive antics.
Strickland shared a photoshopped UFC Houston poster on X that many viewed as racially insensitive, depicting himself as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer while portraying Hernandez in a stereotypical Mexican outfit with a sombrero. The post quickly sparked backlash, drawing strong criticism from the Hispanic community.
Now, “Fluffy” has responded to the poster, vowing to make Sean Strickland pay for mocking his Mexican heritage.
Anthony Hernandez Blasts Sean Strickland Over Edited UFC Houston Poster
During a recent interview with New York Post Sports, Anthony Hernandez responded to the racially charged edited UFC Houston poster shared by Sean Strickland. “Fluffy” called it a low-effort attempt to provoke him before the fight and made it clear the stunt did not affect him.
Honestly, I laughed when I saw that, Hernandez said. “If that’s the best you’ve got to get in my head, it’s gonna be a long f*cking night. That sh*t does not faze me.”
However, Hernandez said he took issue with it, calling it disrespectful to his cultural heritage, and vowed to respond with relentless violence once the Octagon door closes on Saturday night.
It’s f*cked up, yeah, and I don’t like seeing sh*t like that. I don’t like that my people gotta go through that sh*t like that, but it’s f*cking life and it’s the reality of it, and some people are just dirtbags and like to bring it up. But, dude, I’m excited for the fight. Like I said, I hope he keeps that same f*cking online energy in the cage, because I’m gonna f*cking torture him.”
Anthony Hernandez was last seen at UFC Vegas 109 in August 2025, where he secured a fourth-round submission victory over Roman Dolidze. He rides into this bout on an eight-fight winning streak with a 15-2 professional record, including 12 finishes.
Meanwhile, Sean Strickland returns after a year-long layoff following his failed bid to reclaim the middleweight title, losing a one-sided unanimous decision to then-champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in February 2025. He currently holds a professional record of 29-7.
