A middleweight conflict between former champion Sean Strickland (29-7) and purple scorching rising contender Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez (14-2, 1 NC) headlines Saturday’s UFC Houston battle card.
Strickland enters the match ranked No. 3 within the division and coming off a one-sided loss to former champion Dricus du Plessis. Hernandez shall be bringing an eight-fight successful steak with him to the octagon inside Toyota Middle.
It is a bout that would result in a title battle alternative. Former welterweight titleholder Belal Muhammad broke down the match up and gave his prediction on his YouTube channel.
“I’ll attempt to be as unbiased as attainable as a result of I hate Strickland and I feel he sucks,” Muhammad mentioned. “I will break it down. I will give my keys for Strickland. You realize what he will come out and do. He will discuss, say silly stuff by way of battle week. However, he will throw out his jab. He will throw out that teep. I’ll say over 150 teep kicks for Strickland.
“I’ll say, the one factor good in regards to the teep kick is Fluffy has proven that he has a weak spot to the physique. He is gotten damage to the physique a few occasions. Kevin Holland completed him with a physique shot, and I feel [Michel] Pereira rocked him with a physique shot too. That tells me one thing. That is like a weak spot in his recreation,” continued Muhammad.
“For Strickland, you have to preserve him at that jab size. You have to preserve him at that teep size. You’ll be able to’t let him get right into a rhythm of capturing, taking you down, and continuously making you’re employed as a result of that is what Fluffy is greatest at.”
Earlier than specializing in what Hernandez must do to win, Muhammad warned Strickland about transferring ahead an excessive amount of, suggested him to not ‘get wild along with his punches,’ and to regulate the gap.
“For Hernandez, I feel you have to shoot early. You have to assault early. You have to get him working early. Strickland has been in a number of five-round fights and he is aware of methods to preserve a tempo the place he will get the man on his rhythm, following him, making an attempt to determine his defensive type,” mentioned Muhammad.
“However when you’re coming ahead, capturing in on his physique, not capturing in on the legs, making him work, irritating him, not giving him any probability to hit you with the jab, hit you with the teep kick. You have to assault him. You have to transfer ahead. You have to get him on the fence instantly.”
Muhammad finally picked Hernandez to defeat Strickland, nevertheless it might have been a private prediction.
“I am choosing Fluffy. I feel that tempo goes to be too laborious to maintain up with. I simply need to see him break Strickland,” he mentioned.
