Matchmaker Monday: Who is next for Nassourdine Imavov?
Nassourdine Imavov shocked the world at UFC Saudi Arabia.
His second-round knockout of all-time great Israel Adesanya sent shockwaves through the UFC’s middleweight division and marked another turning point for the division. Much like Khamzat Chimaev subbing Robert Whittaker, Imavov’s win over Adesanya was shocking and shaped things to come.
What’s next for “The Sniper?” Will he get the coveted title shot or have to face one more challenger before being granted such a chance?
The title fight: Nassourdine Imavov fighting destiny
We will assume Dricus Du Plessis wins next weekend for just a moment. He faces Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 312. When Nassourdine Imavov knocked off second ranked Israel Adesanya, he made a huge statement over Khamzat Chimaev, who is thought to be next for the title shot.
The only problem here is that Chimaev is a fan favorite and also has a statement win, his submitting of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. If Du Plessis wins, we could see the UFC opt for the Chimaev fight. If Du Plessis loses, the UFC could opt for Strickland versus Chimaev. This puts Du Plessis right in the way of Imavov’s title shot.
Win or lose, we could get Dricus Du Plessis versus Nassourdine Imavov next. Chimaev would have to be healthy, which is a tall order for the Chechen. He has a history with pullouts. It all depends on how next weekend goes…
Sean Strickland versus Nassourdine Imavov 2?
The shoe can also fit on the other foot. If Sean Strickland wins at UFC 312, he’s the champ. He has a win over Nassourdine Imavov back in 2023. The story is there for Strickland and Imavov to run it back. Imavov was scheduled to fight Kelvin Gastelum on that card before Gastelum pulled out. In stepped Sean Strickland. Strickland, as you know, got the win, the title shot, and the title.
If Strickland loses at UFC 312 next weekend and the UFC books Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, then we would almost certainly get Strickland versus Imavov 2. Imavov will probably see himself at number three on this week’s updated UFC rankings behind Strickland and Chimaev, who gets a bump to two after Adesanya’s loss.
With Strickland potentially losing to Du Plessis, we will see Chimaev take that number one spot and a Du Plessis vs. Chimaev fight. This lines up perfectly for Imavov to get a shot at redeeming his last loss.
Other options?
Middleweight is funky and in an odd spot. We are transitioning to a new era of 185ers. With most of the lower top ten already booked, other options for Imavov are already out the window. One option would be Caio Borralho, another of those new kids on the proverbial 185 block. Borralho is ranked sixth and would be a fun matchup for Nassourdine Imavov and a good option for a backup fight on whatever card Du Plessis/Strickland versus Chimaev would land on.
We know Khamzat Chimaev is a pullout merchant. We know he comes in heavy. If disaster strikes, which is a good possibility, having Nassourdine Imavov on the card would make a ton of sense. If the UFC brass comes to him with this possibility, and knowing what we know about Chimaev, Imavov would likely fight anyone on that undercard.
Caio Borralho makes the most sense. But if Robert Whittaker has his jaw healed up, that’s an option too. Seriously, throw anyone at him: Fluffy Hernandez, Roman Kopylov, Reinier de Ridder, whoever you can. You’d fill that hypothetical Chimaev card out with a fight and Imavov would be on standby for when Chimaev pulls out.
