Dricus Du Plessis shares prediction for UFC Houston headliner

Dricus Du Plessis says the Sean Strickland–Anthony Hernandez main event at UFC Houston on Feb. 21 at Toyota Center is a close matchup likely to go the distance, underscoring interest in the middleweight landscape. In remarks to Fight Forecast, Du Plessis leans slightly toward Strickland while declining a firm prediction. He credits Hernandez's pace, pressure, and endurance, and cites Strickland's difficulty to control on the ground and mental resilience. Strickland (29–7) upset Israel Adesanya for the title in 2023, later losing it to Du Plessis, defeating Paulo Costa, and falling in a 2025 rematch. Hernandez (15–2) enters on an eight-fight win streak with six finishes.