Anthony Hernandez kept his momentum surging at UFC on ESPN 72, putting on a masterclass against Roman Dolidze with relentless forward pressure, crisp boxing combinations, and perfectly timed takedowns. From Round 1, Hernandez mixed damaging leg kicks with chain wrestling to keep Dolidze off balance. By the fourth round, the pressure had broken the Georgian contender, and Hernandez stunned him with strikes, trapped him against the cage, and locked in a tight bulldog choke for the submission win at 2:45. The victory extended Hernandez’s streak to seven, cementing his place as one of the middleweight division’s most dangerous finishers and pushing him closer to a title opportunity.
Next up for Hernandez should be a showdown with former UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland. Stylistically, this matchup is a fan’s dream: Hernandez’s suffocating pace, submission threats, and clinch work against Strickland’s elite jab, defensive awareness, and volume striking. Strickland, ranked #2 in the division, is coming off a title fight loss to Dricus du Plessis earlier this year but remains a tough, durable test for any contender. A win over Strickland would give Hernandez undeniable claim to a title shot, while Strickland would relish the chance to halt the rise of one of the division’s most relentless grapplers.
The fight sells itself. Hernandez’s aggression guarantees chaos, while Strickland’s ability to force opponents into high-output striking battles would test whether Hernandez can impose his game on an elite technician. The UFC could easily headline a Fight Night with this matchup or position it as a co-main on a pay-per-view to build the winner into a championship fight.
Last Five Fights – Anthony Hernandez:
1. Win over Roman Dolidze – Submission (bulldog choke), UFC on ESPN 72 (August 9, 2025)
2. Win over Brendan Allen – Decision (unanimous), UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song (February 22, 2025)
3. Win over Michel Pereira – TKO (elbows), UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira (October 19, 2024)
4. Win over Roman Kopylov – Submission (rear-naked choke), UFC 298 (February 17, 2024)
5. Win over Edmen Shahbazyan – TKO (elbows and punches), UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill (May 20, 2023)
Last Five Fights – Sean Strickland:
1. Loss to Dricus du Plessis – Decision (unanimous), UFC 312 (February 9, 2025)
2. Win over Paulo Costa – Decision (split), UFC 302 (June 1, 2024)
3. Loss to Dricus du Plessis – Decision (split), UFC 297 (January 20, 2024)
4. Win over Israel Adesanya – Decision (unanimous), UFC 293 (September 10, 2023)
5. Win over Abusupiyan Magomedov – TKO (punches), UFC on ESPN: Strickland vs. Magomedov (July 1, 2023)