The feud between Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland is all over the internet.<\/p>\n
Nassourdine Imavov<\/a> says the UFC <\/a>made things crystal clear, he is getting the next middleweight title shot.<\/p>\n The Russian-born French contender revealed on the Jaiden Cable YouTube channel that company execs guaranteed him a crack at the belt. Even better for fans who love a good grudge match, that means a run-in with his old rival<\/a>, newly crowned middleweight champion Sean Strickland.<\/a><\/p>\n “I don’t like him. It’s personal between me and him,” Nassourdine Imavov admitted. He explained that before Khamzat Chimaev locked horns with Strickland at\u00a0UFC 328,<\/a> he offered to take on Dricus du Plessis<\/a> just to stay active. The UFC shut that down<\/a>, assuring “The Sniper” that his next walk to the Octagon would be for gold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If all goes according to plan, the two will headline a major card late in the year, likely targeting October or November.<\/p>\n Nassourdine Imavov vs. Sean Strickland: Grudge Match Reheated<\/p>\n These two middleweights share plenty of history.<\/a> Strickland took a short-notice fight against Imavov back in January 2023 at light heavyweight, outworking him over five rounds to take a unanimous decision victory.<\/p>\n \u00a0Imavov hasn’t forgotten that loss, and he is now yet another fighter on the list who does not like the way the American talks trash on social media.<\/p>\n “He’s not a good person. He talks shit every day, and it’s very personal now,” Imavov stated. He added a fiery warning for the champion<\/a>, insisting there will be “no hugs” this time around and that he’d “rather die” than let Strickland dictate the pace again.<\/p>\n Daniel Cormier Weighs in on Rivalry Between Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland<\/p>\n