Nassourdine Imavov Sets Sights On ‘Revenge’ Against Sean Strickland Over Title Shot After UFC Paris Win

Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov

Nassourdine Imavov, the rising star from France, is stirring up quite a storm. His journey in MMA has been anything but boring. He’s fought his way up the ranks with grit and determination after his loss to Sean Strickland in 2023. Now, he’s got his eyes set on something big. At UFC Paris, Imavov put on a show that had fans on their feet. He dominated Brandon Allen, securing a unanimous decision victory.

But here’s where things get interesting. Imavov’s not gunning for the title shot despite currently holding the number 4 spot. He has a different target in mind: Sean Strickland. This is what he said at the post-fight press conference.

“Of course, it would be a great pleasure for me to do it. It’s even more exciting than the belt to fight against Strickland and to take my revenge.”

Sean Strickland handed Nassourdine Imavov his last defeat back in January 2023. And Imavov is out for blood. He wants revenge more than he wants gold. Who doesn’t love a good revenge story, though? Maybe the UFC will pounce on that.

Strickland, on the other hand, may not be interested in the matchup as he is eyeing a title shot against Dricus Du Plessis next. But in the world of UFC, nothing is set in stone until both the fighters are standing against each other in the octagon.

Sean Strickland Not Willing To Fight Unless Given Title Shot

Strickland lost his title to Dricus Du Plessis in a controversial split decision. Many fans, including Dana White and Joe Rogan, thought he had won. But Strickland didn’t sulk. He stepped up and faced Paulo Costa at UFC 302. And he delivered! Although not a barnburner, he dominated the fight from start to finish.

Sean Strickland’s recent win at UFC 302 ended with him making a bold ultimatum. He dropped a bombshell, claiming he won’t be fighting again unless it’s for the belt. He believes he is owed a rematch owing to the close nature of his fight against Du Plessis.

“As long as it takes. I want the gold, dude… paid my penance. I did what we did, went and fought Costa, didn’t want to. Give me the fu**** title shot,” said Strickland at the UFC 302 post-fight press conference.

Strickland is not happy about this turn of events. He’s pointing fingers at the UFC’s analytics team. He thinks these number-crunchers are blocking his rematch because they believe someone else will bring in more money. Considering this, it seems improbable that he would be willing to face Imavov next.