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Sean Strickland has put Nassourdine Imavov back at the center of the middleweight title race, in his usual fashion: one useful statement, one provocation too many, and negotiations still ongoing. The champion claims that discussions now concern his pay before a possible rematch against the Frenchman. The UFC has not officially announced the fight, but the matter increasingly looks like more than a mere scheduling rumor.
The champion talks money before the date
Strickland explained on social media that the discussions were related to payment, before adding that the fight would be locked in once that issue was resolved.
Strickland explained on social media that the discussions were related to payment, before adding that the fight would be locked in once that issue was resolved. The statement was picked up by Sherdog and several specialized outlets, with one common target: UFC 335, scheduled for December 12 in Las Vegas. The event does not yet have its main fight announced, leaving room for this matchup.
Caution is still necessary. In the UFC, a talking champion, a waiting contender, and an available date do not yet make a signed contract. Until the promotion publishes the matchup, Strickland-Imavov should remain at the stage of advanced negotiations. It is less spectacular than an official announcement, but much more solid than most of the usual backstage rumors.
This distinction changes the sporting outlook. If the matchup is confirmed, it will provide a clear direction for a division that needs a clearly defined fight at the top. If it is not, Strickland's statements will still have placed Imavov in a strong public position. Either way, the Frenchman is no longer merely one name mentioned among others: he has become the reference point around which the discussion is organized.
Imavov finally has his window
For Nassourdine Imavov, the appeal is obvious. The Frenchman remains on a run that has put him in the title conversation, with a string of victories cited by American media as the main sporting argument for his candidacy. His last defeat came against Strickland, in January 2023, in a fight accepted under unusual circumstances and contested outside the ideal setting for him.
A rematch for the belt would therefore offer a simple but effective narrative: correcting the only recent blemish, this time at the top of the division. Imavov has already suggested that he knew the date of his next fight and that it would be for a title. Here again, it is important to separate the fighter's confidence from the organization's official announcement. But his camp has no interest in muddying that message if the possibility is not real.
This possible second meeting would also carry a different significance from the first. A non-title fight accepted in an imperfect context does not carry the same weight as a rematch prepared for the top spot. Imavov would have the opportunity to respond over the full distance, tactically, and in terms of status. Strickland, meanwhile, could remind everyone that he has already figured out the keys once. That is enough to build a strong matchup without needing to embellish it.
A logical matchup, not yet definitive
Strickland, for his part, needs a credible first defense after reclaiming the belt. Imavov checks the sporting boxes: recent form, a marketable rematch, a French presence useful for the European audience, and a coherent ranking in a division seeking clarity. The champion, meanwhile, adds the verbal electricity that the UFC knows how to exploit, even when it would sometimes prefer an off switch.
The editorial risk is presenting the matchup as signed. It is not. The verified fact today is more nuanced: Strickland says he is discussing payment, specialized media outlets link the rematch to UFC 335, and Imavov appears to be the most advanced candidate for the next title fight. If the UFC confirms it, December could give French MMA one of its most important nights. If negotiations stall, at least one lesson will remain: the champion has publicly identified his obstacle.