The UFC returns to Houston, Texas, with an exciting event held at the Toyota Center on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Packed with thrilling matchups across multiple weight classes, UFC Houston delivered high-paced action from the preliminaries through the main card. Fans tuned in via Paramount+, the UFC’s streaming home for all events, with prelims starting at 5 p.m. ET and the main card kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. The night’s main event featured a pivotal Middleweight clash between Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez, while the co-main event spotlighted a welterweight showdown between Geoff Neal and Uros Medic.
### Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez
The headline bout at 185 pounds saw Sean Strickland, coming off a loss to Dricus Du Plessis, face off against the rising contender Anthony Hernandez. Hernandez entered the fight with high expectations, aiming to “torture” Strickland and cement his claim for a future title shot against reigning champion Khamzat Chimaev. However, Strickland had other plans, looking to rebound with an emphatic win.
From the opening round, Hernandez pressed forward aggressively, targeting Strickland’s lead leg and working to impose his will. Strickland used his jab effectively on the counter, stunning Hernandez and forcing him to chase. Hernandez attempted to clinch and land heavy shots, but Strickland’s movement and counter-striking kept him at bay. Despite a momentary slip that looked like a knockdown, the round went to Strickland due to his sharper striking.
The second round saw Strickland continue to out-jab Hernandez while moving backward, frustrating Hernandez’s attempts to deploy his feared grappling game. Hernandez struggled to land his big right hand consistently, and Strickland’s jab controlled the pace, earning him the round on the judges’ scorecards.
Round three was decisive. Hernandez came out more aggressively, but in doing so left himself vulnerable. Strickland landed a massive knee to the body as Hernandez advanced, visibly hurting him. Strickland then seized the moment, pressing forward for the finish. He swarmed Hernandez with punches and knees, earning a TKO victory at 2:33 of the third round. This marked Strickland’s first finish since 2023 and potentially puts him back into title contention.
### Co-Main Event: Geoff Neal vs. Uros Medic
The welterweight co-main event featured Geoff Neal, who was looking to recover from a brutal knockout loss to Carlos Prates, against Uros Medic, a knockout artist himself. The fight lived up to expectations, delivering a highlight-reel moment early on.
Just over a minute into the fight, Medic landed a devastating left hook that instantly ended the contest, knocking Neal out cold. The quick finish marked Neal’s second consecutive KO loss and showcased Medic’s dangerous power and precision striking.
### Other Main Card Bouts
The main card also featured several compelling fights:
- **Melquizael Costa vs. Dan Ige (Featherweight):** Costa secured a first-round TKO over Ige, landing a spinning back kick that dropped Ige near the round’s end. Despite Ige’s complaints about the stoppage, Costa’s striking was dominant and effective throughout the round.
- **Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija (Heavyweight):** In a closely contested bout, Spivac earned a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). Delija’s combination punching troubled Spivac early, but Spivac’s jab and takedown control allowed him to control the fight and bleed Delija, ultimately outpointing him over three rounds.
- **Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell (Welterweight):** Smith won a grim fight via first-round TKO due to ground-and-pound after reversing a takedown attempt. The referee’s delayed stoppage resulted in Harrell taking unnecessary damage, raising concerns given Harrell’s history of brain surgery.
- **Michel Pereira vs. Zachary Reese (Welterweight):** Pereira won a split decision after three rounds of back-and-forth action. He scored a knockdown early and landed damaging knees to the body but also appeared to seek pauses for fouls, possibly to catch his breath. Reese’s aggression kept the fight close, but Pereira