UFC Predictions: Fight Night 267 Strickland v.s. Hernandez

Sportz Nation Staff
13 minutes ago
9 min read

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen

Sportz Nation - 2/20/2026

In our predictions from last week which you can find here,

Matt went 4-2 on picks while correctly predicting 2 methods for 6 total points.

Zak went 3-3 on picks and also predicting 2 methods for 5 total points

Points-to-Date:

Matt: 21 (14-5)

Zak: 20 (14-5)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

*All odds courtesy of Caesar's Sportsbook

Photo from Matt Bohm/ MMA Junkie via Yahoo Sports

3 Sean Strickland v

4 Anthony Hernandez

(Hernandez -320)

Zak Drapeau

This fight is between arguably the best boxer and wrestler of the division, and I tend to favor the wrestlers in that scenario. Both men have a track record of fending off the other, with Strickland's takedown defense being terrific besides the first fight with DDP, and Hernandez out-boxing everyone in his current 8-fight win streak.

The problem is, they've never faced the caliber of each other before. When the fight comes together in the 5-round Main Event, the name of the game will be cardio and the ability to keep their game plan into the championship rounds. While I know Strickland has that ability, I think his ability to get back up after being taken down will be diminished, and huge chunks of control time in rounds 4 and 5 will be the deciding factor for the judges.

Prediction: Hernandez by Decision

Matt Hylen

I personally am so excited for this fight. A true clash of styles between two absolute warriors, which should act as a title eliminator.

For Sean Strickland, he is one of the biggest puzzle pieces to solve on the feet. His complex stance and defensive arm movement make it extremely difficult for his opponents to land significant combos. With that said, he is very one-dimensional. All you are going to see is a combination of jab, teep, and front kick over and over until his opponent gets impatient. Sure, it has worked for him in the past, but has also been his downfall against championship-worthy opponents.

As for Anthony Hernandez, he is an absolute monster. He has very underrated striking but is a mauling grappler. His consistent mix of takedowns, ground and pound, and submission attempts makes him extremely unpredictable. The striking could be better, as well as his takedown entries, but overall Hernandez is a beast.

I just do not see Strickland standing a chance in this one. He is not known for grappling whatsoever, so if Hernandez can get him there, it might be game over for Strickland.

Prediction: Hernandez by Submission

12 Geoff Neal

v Uros Medic

(Neal -175)

Zak Drapeau

Geoff Neal has had a TOUGH schedule in his last 4 fights with Carlos Prates, Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonnov all sharing the Octagon with him in the last 3 years. Now that he's on the wrong side of 35, Neal will be in the twilight of his career where he'll have to face some young guns like Uros Medic from now on.

And speaking of Medic, he is the first man to have 10 fights in the UFC all end by finish in the Welterweight division in over 15 years and I don't see that changing in this one. This fight has this week's PROP BET OF THE NIGHT written all over it with Under 1.5 rounds at -180.

Medic and Neal will SWING for the first few minutes and one of them will go down. Being that he's 35 and was just knocked out in his last fight, I think Medic puts down Neal in terrific fashion.

Prediction: Medic by TKO/KO

Matt Hylen

This is another interesting fight that probably should not be co-main eventing a fight night, but nonetheless should be an interesting one.

For Geoff Neal, when he isn't getting knocked out, his boxing is among the best in the division. He has legitimate KO power with great footwork to boot. With that said, his chin is questionable, with adversity not being his friend most of the time.

Uros Medic, on the other hand, is as much a wildcard as you can get. To put it simply, Medic will either finish you early on or get finished early on. His chin is extremely shaky, but his KO power will sometimes cancel that out.

I think this fight ends within round 1, to be honest. Both fighters are not built to go the distance, which I think will benefit Neal for the most part. As I said, one big punch and Medic is out, so if Neal can capitalize on Medic's inevitable pressure, it's his fight to lose.

Prediction: Neal by TKO/KO

14 Dan Ige v

Melquizael Costa

(Costa -225)

Zak Drapeau

GATEKEEPING ALERT... I repeat we have a gatekeeper fight!

Dan Ige has been a crowd favorite for a long time now but his an almost 5-year

run among the Top-15 of the division will come to an end at the hand of Melquizael Costa.

Costa is one of the futures of this division and is only 29 years old with 6 wins and 3 finishes already under his belt. Costa also has a decent size advantage in this fight and is coming off a spectacular roundhouse knockout in his last fight. This is his coming out party in what should be a fun battle between two gamers.

Prediction: Costa by Decision

Matt Hylen

This has "fight of the night" written all over it. Two extremely powerful finishers that have a proven toughness that you just cannot teach.

For Dan Ige, he is one of those been-there-done-that fighters. He is a pretty basic boxer but holds uncanny power for his size. Due to his inability to beat fighters up the ranks, he's become sort of the ultimate gatekeeper, proving to be a test for anyone looking to break onto the scene.

As for Malquizael Costa, he is typically a grappler, but has shown his power with his hands over his recent fights. Coming off a huge KO win his last time out, Costa proved he is one of the more balanced prospects in the division.

This fight might just come down to who wants it more. It is very evenly matched in my mind, with the entirety of the fight dependent on whether or not Costa wants to make this a grappling affair.

Prediction: Costa by Decision

7 Serghei Spivac v

9 Ante Delija

(Delija -155)

Zak Drapeau

Ante Delija will compete in only his 3rd UFC fight this weekend after winning and losing in the first round of his first two. Now he has a fight with Serghei Spivac up next and stylistically, this could be trouble for him.

Spivac may have lost 3 of his last 4 but poses a serious grappling threat to anyone, especially boxers like Delija. If this fight gets to the ground Spivac will smother him and likely win by submission but I don't see it.

Delija is one of the guys the UFC is hoping to build the next few year of the division around and his knockout power is why. I think this fight ends early and I could even see Delija uppercutting Spivac to the ground in the midst of a takedown or clinch work to end it.

Prediction: Delija by TKO/KO

Matt Hylen

Another barnburner that shouldn't make it past the final bell. Both fighters are looking to become the latest top contender while also trying to avoid falling into irrelevancy.

Serghei Spivac is a clinch-style fighter that does most of his damage in close. He is a solid submission artist that will get you to the ground through messy boxing and elbow usage. His biggest flaw, however, is his will. We have seen far too many times Spivac just give up or be unwilling to fight through adversity, which is why he hasn't been close to top contention in years.

As for Ante Delija, he has all the skills to be a top-tier fighter in this division. He has extremely fast hands for a heavyweight with good enough combinations and boxing. His chin is definitely shaky, with age also being an issue, but the talent is all there for Delija.

This fight ends quickly in my eyes. Spivac has shown no signs of improvement or heart in far too long, causing me to believe Delija will have the mental advantage before the fight even starts. Delija is too dangerous and too powerful to not see winning this rather quickly.

Prediction: Delija by TKO/KO

Jacobe Smith

v Josiah Harrell

(Smith -300)

*Harrell steps in on 9 days notice

Zak Drapeau

This fight could be an absolute banger if both fighters had a full training camp. However, Josiah Harrell is making his debut in the UFC on 9 days notice against Jacobe Smith who has proved he can finish anyone in the division.

Harrell has a reputation of getting opponents to the ground and finishing them by strikes or choke but Smith's wrestling is more than good enough to keep Harrell off of him. From there, I believe his camp advantage will help him out especially in round 2 and if they make it to round 3. The longer the fight goes, the more I see Harrell gassing out and Smith putting him down.

Prediction: Smith by TKO

Matt Hylen

I like this fight a lot; it has the potential to be extremely entertaining, allowing one of these fighters to break out into possibly a ranked opponent next.

Jacobe Smith is a jack-of-all-trades fighter. Whether it is on the ground or on the feet, Smith uses his strength in order to dominate no matter what kind of fight his opponent wants to make it. His only real flaw is his gas tank, which is a huge flaw, but he has been able to cancel that out due to his immense strength and power.

Josiah Harrel, on the other hand, is a fantastic athlete with good wrestling. He dominated the regional scene with his elite ground game, but has yet to be tested with his striking.

I like this fight for many reasons, but the biggest one being the fact that, in my eyes, this is a breakout opportunity for Smith. I've been waiting for Smith to get a shot like this. He has a big test ahead of him, but I think he has elite, untapped potential to be a future champion in this sport.

Prediction: Smith by TKO/KO

Chidi Njoukani

v Carlos Leal

(Leal -120)

Zak Drapeau

A lowkey Fight of the Night contender, Chidi Njoukani and Carlos Leal seriously have a ranked future in this division and their clash this weekend could give them a number straight after.

Njoukani wants to strike at a distance and Leal wants to get in close and throw haymakers. Njoukani's 80" reach is such a weapon at Welterweight but so is Leal's power. I'm gonna predict this fight ending sooner than later and having Leal standing over Chidi but the longer this fight goes the more likely it will go in the opposite's favor.

Prediction: Leal by KO

Matt Hylen

Not the most exciting fight in the world in terms of the name value, but one that could stylistically be entertaining for fans. Chidi Njokuani is a pretty basic fighter; there is nothing necessarily unique about his style, but he does have power in his hands. As for Carlos Leal, he is a wide-stance striker who wants to overwhelm his opponents on the feet. Think of Leal like a Sergei Pavlovich but with terrible defense.

I think Leal's defensive flaws could get the best of him in this one. Sure, nothing jumps off the page for Njokuani, but what he does have is better defense and countering ability.

Prediction: Njokuani by Decision

12 Nora Cornolle v

14 Joselyne Edwards

(Edwards -320)

Zak Drapeau

I'd like to stress that both of these woman are great fighters but Joselyne Edwards clears Cornolle here. These two's first fight was a lot closer than Cornolle's 30-27 UD would indicate and since then Edwards has made lightyears of improvement.

From takedowns to control the pace and brutal knockouts, Edwards has serious plans to invade the Bantamweights' Top-5 in the future and avenging her loss from 2023 is the best way to get there.

Prediction: Edwards by Decision

Matt Hylen

This is the prelim fight I am most excited to see. Two ranked contenders that have had a rough go of it as of late, but can turn it around with a win.

Joselyne is a high-volume striker and is extremely strong for the division. Her takedown offense is great but has a sort of finishing ability that is rare for the division.

As for Cornolle, she is also an aggressive fighter who brings her pressure through her kickboxing. She is not the most disciplined fighter, but her kicks can win her any fight.

With that said, I am going to go with the more complete fighter in Edwards here. This is her time to shine in my opinion; she is the better all-around fighter that I think will be able to neutralize Cornolle's kicking attacks.

Prediction: Edwards by Decision