Anthony Hernandez reacted calmly, but with determination, after Sean Strickland's controversial racist post prior to his main event in UFC Houston. Strickland posted a manipulated image showing himself as an ICE agent and Hernandez dressed in Mexican stereotypes, a gesture that immediately generated rejection in the Latino community. Hernandez said that, although the post seemed "fucked up" to him, it failed to affect him mentally; in fact, he stated that if that was the best thing Strickland could do to destabilize him, the night would be "long" for him. He also pointed out that many messages of support from the Mexican community motivate him even more. The contender emphasized that, if Strickland wants to take the conflict out of the cage, inside it he must maintain that same level of aggressiveness, because his intention is to "torture him for the 25 minutes." These statements raise the tension of a fight that could define Khamzat Chimaev's next middleweight title contender.