Hernandez trains with champion Strickland six weeks before UFC Sacramento headliner

Anthony Hernandez is preparing for his UFC Fight Night 285 headliner against Gregory Rodrigues by training alongside the man who ended his winning run — UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. The camp link-up was confirmed when Hernandez posted a photo from the session on Instagram, with Strickland responding in the comments.

Hernandez captioned his post, “Thank you guys for welcoming me in. Appreciate the tips and tricks.” Strickland replied with characteristic brevity: “6 weeks of fun!”

The collaboration is a notable turn given the pre-fight friction between the two. Strickland stopped Hernandez in the third round via TKO in Houston in February 2026, snapping the latter’s eight-fight win streak. Despite that tension, the pair shared a cordial moment after the bout — a gesture that appears to have opened the door to a full training partnership.

Strickland has since climbed to the top of the division, claiming the UFC middleweight title in his next fight against Khamzat Chimaev. His first title defence is expected to come against either Chimaev or Nassourdine Imavov, two middleweights he has already defeated.

For Hernandez, the focus now is on rebuilding. Currently ranked sixth in the UFC middleweight division, he faces No. 12-ranked Rodrigues in Sacramento, California, in August at UFC Fight Night 285. A win would put him back in contention in one of the promotion’s most competitive weight classes.