Anthony Hernandez says Sean Strickland loss showed him what had to change

Anthony Hernandez is using his loss to Sean Strickland in February as a catalyst for improvement heading into UFC Sacramento, where he headlines Saturday's card against Gregory Rodrigues. The middleweight contender said the defeat exposed specific technical and strategic issues that demanded correction.

"I had to make some adjustments, as simple as that," Hernandez explained. "If you fuck up, you're probably going to get fucked up. So, it lays it right out for you nice and perfectly, what you got to adjust and fix."

To address his shortcomings, Hernandez spent an extended stretch at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas during the summer, focusing on the gaps revealed by Strickland. "I moved away from my family for the full summer," he said. "Went to the P.I., locked all the way the fuck in. Jumped in with a bunch of fucking '85ers that are fucking dangerous." The 32-year-old emphasized that while his coaching staff played a key role in identifying areas needing work, he takes ultimate responsibility for his performance inside the Octagon.

"I take full credit for everything," Hernandez added. "I'm the motherfucker that fights. With that being said, I have an amazing team that always does their homework and cleans up so much shit for me." Hernandez hopes to showcase the benefits of his camp adjustments and deliver a strong performance in front of his home crowd in Sacramento.