UFC Fight Night returns to Houston as Strickland and Hernandez make weight for Toyota Center main event
All fighters cleared the scales ahead of Saturday’s event in downtown Houston
HOUSTON — UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez is set for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at Toyota Center, marking the promotion’s return to Houston for the first time in four years. Friday’s official weigh-ins concluded without a bout being jeopardized, with all 28 scheduled fighters making their contracted limits.
The event streams on Paramount+ in the United States, with preliminary bouts slated to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Houston time) and the main card scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Houston time).
Main event: middleweight contenders make it official
In the five-round headliner, former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland weighed 185 pounds, while Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez weighed 186 pounds, the non-title maximum with the one-pound allowance. The matchup pairs the UFC’s No. 3-ranked middleweight against the No. 4-ranked contender, positioning the bout as a meaningful divisional checkpoint in a crowded title picture.
Co-main and main card: weights posted across multiple divisions
The co-main event at welterweight also moved forward as planned. Geoff Neal weighed 170.5 pounds and Uroš Medić weighed 171 pounds.
- Featherweight: Dan Ige 145.5 vs. Melquizael Costa 145.5
- Heavyweight: Serghei Spivac 251.5 vs. Ante Delija 239
- Welterweight: Jacobe Smith 171 vs. Josiah Harrell 171
- Middleweight: Zachary Reese 185.5 vs. Michel Pereira 186
With weights confirmed, attention shifts to competitive dynamics: Neal and Medić bring contrasting striking profiles at 170 pounds, while Spivac and Delija add a high-variance heavyweight bout where one exchange can decide the outcome. On the same card, Ige’s experience against ranked-level opposition meets Costa’s momentum at 145 pounds.
Preliminary card: full slate proceeds as scheduled
The preliminaries feature a mix of established UFC names and developing prospects, with several bouts clustered in the flyweight and welterweight divisions.
- Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani 171 vs. Carlos Leal 170
- Flyweight: Ode’ Osbourne 126 vs. Alibi Idiris 126
- Flyweight: Alden Coria 125.5 vs. Luis Gurule 125
- Women’s bantamweight: Nora Cornolle 136 vs. Joselyne Edwards 135.5
- Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj 170.5 vs. Punahele Soriano 171
- Welterweight: Phil Rowe vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani 170.5
- Featherweight: Jordan Leavitt 145.5 vs. Yadier del Valle 145.5
- Women’s flyweight: Juliana Miller 126 vs. Carli Judice 125
With no weight misses, Saturday’s Toyota Center card remains intact from the main event through the opening prelim.
Friday’s results remove a common late-week complication for fight cards—last-minute renegotiations or cancellations tied to the scale—leaving Houston’s focus on matchups, judging, and performance once the cage door closes Saturday night.