Nassourdine Imavov has been on the sidelines for months, but according to him, the frustrating wait is now finally over. The Dagestani-French fighter hasn’t entered the Octagon since extending his winning streak to five with a statement victory over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris last September. As the months passed, fans couldn’t help but wonder why one of the UFC’s hottest middleweight contenders had gone quiet. However, according to Imavov, the layoff was never his call.

Instead, he claims the UFC made it clear that his next fight will be only for the middleweight championship. In an interview with Jaiden Cable, ‘The Sniper’ revealed that he even lobbied for a bout against former champion Dricus du Plessis just to keep himself busy as Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev prepared to go one-on-one for gold at UFC 328.

“Of course, next fight is for the belt. I wanted to fight Dricus to stay active,” Imavov said. “And the UFC told me I could only fight for the belt.”

With ‘Tarzan’ delivering a major upset by defeating Chimaev to become champion, Imavov now says the UFC has confirmed exactly what’s next.

“After Khamzat vs. Strickland, I’m 100% fighting for the belt,” he added.

A fight with Sean Strickland would also give Nassourdine Imavov the perfect opportunity to settle old business.

The two first met in January 2023, when Strickland stepped in on short notice to replace Kelvin Gastelum for a light heavyweight bout. The fight ended up going Strickland’s way, with Imavov losing via unanimous decision. Now, he can finally get the revenge he seeks, but this time with the middleweight throne at stake.

‘Tarzan’ has stated that he hopes to return in December while recovering from a couple of injuries, but Imavov believes the UFC could pull the trigger much earlier. In his view, an October or November fight is very much on the table.

If he is right about getting a shot next, it would finally end months of uncertainty surrounding one of the middleweight division’s most deserving title contenders that fight fans have been truly rooting for. However, it is also worth noting that Imavov’s comments also raise fresh questions about Khamzat Chimaev’s future.

Nassourdine Imavov getting the Sean Strickland fight throws Khamzat Chimaev’s plans off track

Ever since losing his first professional fight to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in May, the former champion has repeatedly called for an immediate rematch, insisting he’s ready whenever the UFC decides to make the bout official. In fact, just last week, ‘Borz’ tagged the promotion again on Instagram with a simple statement.

“Someone is running,” he wrote, referring to Sean Strickland. “I’m ready; just tell me where and when I’ll be there.”

The rematch between ‘Tarzan’ and Khamzat Chimaev would likely be one of the biggest matches the UFC could stage at 185 pounds. However, Sean Strickland has consistently argued that Chimaev needs to earn another shot at the title after losing the belt.

That stance appears to have paved the way for Nassourdine Imavov, whose five-fight winning streak has no doubt impressed many in the MMA scene. Even former two-division champion Daniel Cormier has been among the most vocal supporters of Imavov’s title credentials, claiming that the Frenchman has done more than enough to earn the opportunity.

“Now, Nassourdine Imavov has earned a title fight five times over,” ‘DC’ said on his YouTube channel. “Nassourdine Imavov should be fighting for the UFC middleweight championship.

“Nassourdine Imavov has not been in the octagon for a really long time. And with time comes the potential for you to get passed over, especially when former champions are stepping on the line and competing.”

However, based on Nassourdine Imavov’s most recent update, it feels like he’s finally not getting passed over again. If his negotiations with the UFC are any indication, the next man standing across from Sean Strickland inside the Octagon will be the fan-favorite contender who has waited over a year for this very moment.