Jim West: Anthony Hernandez's loss to 'unicorn' Sean Strickland 'an outlier'

Jim West, Anthony Hernandez's coach, believes that UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland presents a challenge unlike any other in the division. Just weeks after Hernandez's eight-fight winning streak was ended by Strickland's victory in February, West reflected on the fight and the difficulty in preparing for Strickland's unique fighting style.

West told MMA Junkie Radio that they approached Strickland's approach incorrectly in the bout, acknowledging that Strickland is an outlier in the middleweight division and that their strategy needs to be "thrown aside." West noted that Hernandez may have been in his own head during the fight, which contributed to the loss. Hernandez is set to face Gregory Rodrigues, whose fighting style West describes as a mix of Michel Pereira's stiffness and Roman Dolidze's aggression and physicality.

While pointing out the similarities between Rodrigues and his two main prep opponents, West emphasized that the approach to each fighter requires individual awareness and adaptation, rather than emulating Strickland's techniques.