Nassourdine Imavov has revealed that the UFC is targeting a middleweight title fight between him and newly crowned champion Sean Strickland later this year, adding a personal layer to a rivalry that dates back to their first meeting in 2023.
Speaking on Jaiden Cable’s YouTube channel, Imavov claimed that the promotion informed him that his next fight would be for the championship and suggested a potential timeline of October or November. He said:
“I don’t like him. It’s personal between me and him. He’s not a good person. He talks sh*t every day, and it’s very personal now.”
The French contender also disclosed that he had initially hoped to remain active while waiting for the title opportunity. Imavov said:
“Before Khamzat fought Strickland, I told the UFC I wanted to fight DDP to stay active, but they said, ‘Your next fight will be for the title.'”
Check out Nassourdine Imavov’s comments below:
Nassourdine Imavov Eyes Redemption Against Sean Strickland
A potential rematch would carry major significance for Nassourdine Imavov, who suffered a defeat to Sean Strickland in their first encounter at UFC Fight Night in January 2023.
Originally scheduled as a five-round main event against Kelvin Gastelum, Strickland stepped in on short notice after Gastelum withdrew due to injury. Despite accepting the fight with limited preparation time, the two-time middleweight champion delivered a composed performance, using his trademark jab, pressure, and defensive awareness to outpoint Imavov over five rounds.
Strickland secured a unanimous decision victory with scorecards of 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46, handing Imavov one of the most significant setbacks of his UFC career.
Both fighters have taken dramatically different paths since their first showdown.
Strickland has experienced both highs and lows. After initially losing the middleweight title to Dricus du Plessis, he returned to championship contention with wins over Paulo Costa and Anthony Hernandez before defeating Khamzat Chimaev via split decision at UFC 328 to regain the UFC middleweight title. The American now enters a potential rematch with Imavov as the reigning champion.
Imavov, meanwhile, rebuilt his momentum with an impressive winning streak that established him as one of the division’s leading contenders. The Frenchman has steadily climbed the rankings through a series of high-level performances. He secured an impressive unanimous decision win over Caio Borralho in his last outing and is now closer than ever to his first UFC championship opportunity.
Given the history between the two men and Imavov’s recent comments, a rematch with Strickland could quickly become one of the most personal title fights in the middleweight division.
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