Sometimes, one injury reshapes an entire division. That’s exactly what happened as Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez has now withdrawn from his highly anticipated clash against Reiner De Ridder at UFC Vancouver. Just like that, a fight that was supposed to decide the next title challenger is now off the table.

With that, the ripple effect is undeniable. Brendan Allen has stepped in as a late replacement, but the UFC’s middleweight roadmap looks very different today.

And if Chael Sonnen is right, that road now leads straight to Nassourdine Imavov. “Imavov just became the number one contender,” the UFC veteran wrote on X. Was this the moment that sealed his fate as middleweight champion, Khamzat Chimaev’s next opponent?

Before UFC Paris earlier this month, CEO Dana White laid out a clear picture. Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho would serve as part one of what appeared to be a two-fight eliminator. Hernandez vs. De Ridder was part two. The winners would collide with the champion, Khamzat Chimaev, looming on the throne.

Imavov did his job, defeating Borralho by unanimous decision at Accor Arena. Hernandez never got the chance. That leaves Imavov sitting alone in the driver’s seat. De Ridder still has momentum, riding a 4-0 start in the UFC and a split-decision win over Robert Whittaker in his last bout. But with Brendan Allen now his opponent, the perception of that fight has clearly shifted, and as indicated by Chael Sonnen, all signs point straight to Imavov vs ‘Borz’.

After all, momentum matters in the UFC, but timing matters even more. Imavov, the French contender with a growing fan base, has both. His performance against Borralho was decisive, and now Hernandez’s absence only strengthens his case. Sonnen’s take may sound blunt, but it reflects how the UFC often operates: whoever’s left standing at the right time usually gets the call.

Hernandez’s injury was a cruel twist for Vancouver, but in the bigger picture, it all but confirmed the next challenger for the middleweight crown. In fact, for Nassourdine Imavov, there wasn’t any doubt in the first place, despite many doubting his chances against the juggernaut that is Khamzat Chimaev!

Nassourdine Imavov’s title shot aspirations come true with Chael Sonnen’s backing

For Nassourdine Imavov, being the underdog isn’t a disadvantage; it’s fuel. After a decisive five-round victory over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris, the French contender made it clear that he thrives when the odds are stacked against him.

In his post-fight interview with ESPN, he stated, “It fits me very well. I like to be the underdog, when I’m the underdog, I do the best performance.” At the time, ‘The Sniper’ wasn’t guaranteed a shot at the middleweight crown. But Hernandez’s recent withdrawal shakes up the division and shifts the spotlight firmly toward Imavov. For him, now it’s not about waiting; it’s about readiness.

While it looks like Chimaev’s wrestling has made him virtually unbeatable, the French star has heard it all before as he further shared, “People said that against [Israel] Adesanya, he was the best striker in the world and that I couldn’t fight with him, but I knocked him out on the feet… For me, there is no discussion that I’m [not] going to fight for the belt.”

As such, the UFC’s middleweight picture may have been reshuffled, but one thing is clear: Nassourdine Imavov is now firmly in the lead. The twists of fate, the injuries, and the timing have converged to create a title shot that may have seemed unlikely just weeks ago. As Chael Sonnen noted, “Imavov just became the number one contender.” That endorsement may sound simple, but in the UFC world, it speaks volumes.