Sean Strickland’s first middleweight title defense is reportedly coming together against a man he’s already beaten. Nassourdine Imavov is the target for February 2027, with UFC 337 floated as the likely landing spot.
MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn broke it on his podcast with Luke Thomas. “It’s going to be Imavov next; I heard it may even be signed or close to being signed for February somewhere in Florida,” Bohn said. Kevin K has also reported on the matchup. Nothing is official. Contracts are reportedly still being worked on, and the UFC hasn’t said a word.
Bohn’s track record on Strickland is worth something here. He was the one who first reported that Strickland’s new UFC deal pays him more than $1 million per fight.
How we got here
This fight was supposed to happen already. A Strickland vs. Imavov title defense was planned for UFC 335 and never materialized, and Strickland went to X to air out his contract. He talked about moving up to light heavyweight to burn through the rest of his deal, then heading to boxing, with Jake Paul on his wish list. He also accused the UFC of wrecking fighters’ legacies by underpaying them while feeding them younger opponents.
The money part appears to be settled. Reports say Strickland signed a new six-fight deal ahead of UFC 328, reportedly north of $1 million per fight, and Dana White has said his relationship with the champ is in a good place.
Strickland hasn’t fought since UFC 328 in May, when he upset Khamzat Chimaev by split decision after a big fifth round. A shoulder injury has kept him on the shelf since.
Imavov’s last outing was a win over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris last year.
The first fight
These two met at UFC Fight Night 217 in January 2023. Strickland took the fight on short notice at 205 pounds, which is about as Tarzan as it gets, and won a unanimous decision. He went on to challenge Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 293 later that year.
So Imavov gets a second crack at a guy who beat him on a few days’ notice, at a catchweight, more than three and a half years ago. That’s a very different fight than one where both men get a full camp and five rounds.
What’s next
If the UFC follows its usual playbook, the announcement could come during UFC 334 on November 14 in New York City. If not then, UFC 335 on December 12 in Las Vegas is the next obvious window.
My take: this is the right fight, and I’m glad it’s getting booked instead of dangled. Strickland just spent a stretch threatening to walk to boxing and is now apparently cashing seven figures a night, so he owes everybody a defense, and Imavov earned his spot by beating Borralho. The open question is the shoulder. Strickland will be coming off roughly nine months out with an injury, against a Frenchman who has had plenty of time to study the tape of their first fight, and I’d be shocked if Imavov isn’t a lot closer in the odds this time when the lines open.
