UFC Fight Night 200: Hermansson vs. Strickland | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- May 21
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 200: Hermansson vs. Strickland took place on February 5, 2022 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 47. As the 200th numbered Fight Night in UFC history, the card carried a milestone status. The main event was a top-10 middleweight bout between Jack ‘The Joker’ Hermansson and Sean ‘Tarzan’ Strickland, with both fighters looking to climb toward the title picture.
Strickland won by split decision (49-46, 47-48, 49-46) in a five-round jab clinic, negating all eight of Hermansson’s takedown attempts and outvolume-striking him throughout. The card also featured the debut of Shavkat Rakhmonov, who entered 15-0 with 15 finishes; a memorable debut KO from Chidi Njokuani; and a Fight of the Night bonus that saw Julian Erosa pocket $100,000 alone after his opponent missed weight.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, February 5, 2022
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 47)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 58)
🏆 Main Event: Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland — Middleweight (5 rounds) | 200th numbered UFC Fight Night
✅ Result: Sean Strickland def. Jack Hermansson via Decision (Split) (49-46, 47-48, 49-46)
⭐ Notable: Strickland stuffed all 8 takedowns | Rakhmonov debuted 15-0 (15 finishes) | Chidi Njokuani KO at 0:16 | Erosa earned $100k FotN solo (Peterson missed weight)
The Build-Up
Sean Strickland had established himself as a durable, high-volume striker in the middleweight division. Coming off wins against Uriah Hall and Brendan Allen, he entered FN 200 on a streak that had pushed him into the top 10. His jab-heavy, volume-based style was a clear counter to Hermansson’s wrestling, and the matchup was framed as grappler vs. striker from the outset.
Jack Hermansson was a former Cage Warriors Middleweight Champion who had gone 3-2 in his most recent UFC run, with losses to Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori sandwiched around impressive wins. His success rate was higher when he could get fights to the mat. The question was whether Strickland’s wrestling defense was as solid as advertised.
Main Event: Hermansson vs. Strickland
It proved to be a complete Strickland performance. He used his jab relentlessly to keep Hermansson at distance and shut down every grappling attempt — the Norwegian went 0/8 on takedowns across five rounds. Strickland outstrucK Hermansson 153-137 in significant strikes, controlling range and output throughout.
The split decision (49-46, 47-48, 49-46) was clear on two cards, with Sal D’Amato’s dissenting 47-48 for Hermansson raising some eyebrows. Strickland immediately called for a title shot post-fight, a call that felt warranted given the completeness of his performance against a fellow top-10 opponent.
Co-Main: Rakhmonov & Undercard Highlights
Shavkat Rakhmonov made his UFC debut an instant statement. The Kazakh welterweight arrived at 15-0 with 15 finishes, and he did not break the pattern: a devastating spinning wheel kick followed by punches finished Carlston Harris at 4:10 of round one. The finish earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and immediately established him as a welterweight prospect to watch.
Chidi Njokuani debuted with a KO of Marc-Andre Barriault at just 0:16 of round one — the second fastest debut KO in UFC history. Brendan Allen submitted Sam Alvey by RNC in round two, with Alvey’s loss extending his skid to match BJ Penn’s record for consecutive UFC losses.
Full Results
Main Card
Sean Strickland def. Jack Hermansson — Decision (Split) (Round 5, 5:00) | 49-46, 47-48, 49-46 | Strickland stuffed 8/8 takedowns
Nick Maximov def. Punahele Soriano — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00) | 28-29, 30-27, 29-28
Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Carlston Harris — KO (Spinning Wheel Kick + Punches) (Round 1, 4:10) — Performance of the Night | Debut: 15-0, 15 finishes
Brendan Allen def. Sam Alvey — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 2, 2:10) | Alvey’s loss matched BJ Penn’s UFC losing skid record
Bryan Battle def. Tresean Gore — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) | 29-28 x3
Julian Erosa def. Steven Peterson — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00) | 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 — Fight of the Night (Erosa received all $100k; Peterson missed weight)
Preliminary Card
Chidi Njokuani def. Marc-Andre Barriault — KO (Punches) (Round 1, 0:16) — Performance of the Night | 2nd fastest debut KO in UFC history
John Castaneda def. Miles Johns — Technical Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke), R3, 1:38; Hakeem Dawodu def. Mike Trizano — UD (30-27 x3); Jailton Almeida def. Danilo Marques — TKO R1; Alexis Davis def. Julija Stoliarenko — UD; Malcolm Gordon def. Denys Bondar — Sub; Phillip Rowe def. Jason Witt — TKO R2 — Prelim Card
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: Julian Erosa vs. Steven Peterson — Erosa received the entire $100,000 bonus; Peterson was disqualified for missing weight
🏆 Performance of the Night: Shavkat Rakhmonov ($50,000) — KO (Spinning Wheel Kick) R1, 4:10 | Debut: 15-0, 15 finishes
🏆 Performance of the Night: Chidi Njokuani ($50,000) — KO R1, 0:16 | 2nd fastest debut KO in UFC history
Records & Milestones
🥊 FN 200 marked the 200th numbered UFC Fight Night event — a significant milestone in the promotion’s history of weekly broadcast cards.
🥊 Shavkat Rakhmonov entered the UFC undefeated at 15-0 with all 15 wins by finish. His debut KO of Carlston Harris demonstrated that his record was built against credible opposition, not soft competition.
🥊 Chidi Njokuani’s debut KO at 0:16 was the second fastest first-fight knockout in UFC history. Sam Alvey’s latest defeat matched BJ Penn’s record for the most consecutive UFC losses (7 in a row at the time).
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 200 is primarily remembered for Sean Strickland’s coming-out party at the top of the middleweight division. His jab-based, volume-oriented gameplan against a legitimate grappler and top-10 opponent was the most convincing five-round performance of his career to that point. The result made him a serious title contender and foreshadowed his stunning 2023 UFC championship.
Shavkat Rakhmonov’s debut marked the beginning of one of the most compelling welterweight stories of the next two years. His FN 200 performance was the starting point for a UFC run that made him one of the most feared fighters in his division.
FAQ
How did Strickland so completely shut down Hermansson’s wrestling?
Strickland used his jab to keep Hermansson on the outside, denying him the collar tie and clinch positions from which Norwegian wrestlers most often initiate their shots. Every time Hermansson tried to shoot for a takedown (8 attempts, 0 landed), Strickland had already reset to range and was ready to defend. His lateral movement and consistent jab made Hermansson’s usually dangerous takedown game completely ineffective.
Why did Erosa receive $100,000 for Fight of the Night instead of $50,000?
Steven Peterson missed weight for the fight, which under UFC bonus rules meant he was disqualified from receiving the Fight of the Night bonus. Rather than the standard split of $50,000 per fighter, Erosa received the full $100,000 as the only eligible fighter from the bout. This is one of the rare cases where a fighter benefits financially from their opponent’s weight miss.
Who is Shavkat Rakhmonov?
Shavkat Rakhmonov is a Kazakh welterweight known by the nickname ‘Nomad.’ He entered the UFC having finished all 15 of his opponents. His FN 200 debut against Carlston Harris was his introduction to a global audience — a finish built around a spinning wheel kick, an elite grappling base, and an ability to mix striking with takedowns at will.
Did Strickland go on to win the title after FN 200?
Yes. Strickland went on to defeat Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision at UFC 293 in September 2023, in one of the biggest upsets in UFC middleweight title history. His performance at FN 200 against Hermansson was one of several benchmark wins on the path that led to that championship.
What was the post-event controversy involving Miles Johns?
In April 2022, it was reported that Miles Johns had tested positive for Adderall in a urine sample collected on the day of FN 200. He received a six-month suspension and a fine of $3,450 (15% of his fight purse). Johns had a prescription for the medication, but it still violated USADA’s requirements for therapeutic use exemptions at the time of the event.
References
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