Nassourdine Imavov’s Title Hopes Dashed as Daniel Cormier Delivers Harsh Reality Check After UFC Paris Win

“Absolutely, no hesitation that I’m next.” Those were Nassourdine Imavov’s words after his hand was raised in Paris. The French contender had just snapped Caio Borralho’s 16-fight unbeaten streak, dominating every round in front of a roaring home crowd. To him, there was no debate; his next stop should be Khamzat Chimaev and the UFC middleweight belt.

But the fight game rarely runs in straight lines. And when Daniel Cormier took to his YouTube channel to break it all down, the former champion wasn’t shy about pointing out why Imavov’s dream might hit a roadblock.

Cormier began by highlighting the buzz surrounding the Frenchman. He read out posts from fellow fighters like Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo, who praised Imavov’s victory. Sterling called it “another marquee win” and admitted he was puzzled by Borralho’s reluctance to shoot for takedowns.

Cejudo, however, quickly undercut the hype, saying the UFC would likely give the title shot to the winner of the upcoming Reinier De Ridder versus Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez clash in Vancouver instead.

As such, Cormier stated, “When you’re in the situation Imavov was in tonight, and you get a dominant win like that, guys make no mistake about it, 4-1 on two scorecards, 5-0 on one scorecard, that’s a dominant win over a very good guy. But is it enough?”

The UFC veteran explained that timing worked against Imavov. How? According to Cormier on his recent YouTube video, “But being that he was first, being that he was dominant, I think today people will rush to say he’s number one contender. But I think because it wasn’t a finish, obviously Nassourdine got the victory, I think people will want to wait and see because if Fluffy and them look good, if Fluffy can replicate what he did in the last fight, they’ll go that’s more impressive. That seems more dangerous to Khamzat Chimaev.”

For Nassourdine Imavov, the UFC Paris win was supposed to be his crowning moment. He beat a streaking contender who hadn’t lost in a decade and did so in decisive fashion. But in Cormier’s eyes, it didn’t ‘solidify’ him as the undisputed next challenger. In fact, according to Joe Rogan, there’s another name in the mix that no one has mentioned so far!

Joe Rogan skips over Nassourdine Imavov with a surprising pick for Khamzat Chimaev’s next challenger

During the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) Fight Companion episode, Rogan broke down the aftermath of UFC Paris. He acknowledged Imavov’s victory but questioned whether the Frenchman had done enough to lock down a title shot. “Well, who else then? Who’s getting Khamzat next? It really depends what (Reinier De Ridder vs Anthony Hernandez) looks like, right, because this was a f—— war,” Rogan remarked.

Then came the curveball. Rogan floated the name of Sean Strickland, the former champion, as a potential candidate to leapfrog the rest of the division as he pondered, “Interesting, who is the big star behind these guys, behind Imavov… Who’s the big star other than him? (Sean Strickland) is the biggest star, for sure.”

Strickland’s name carries weight. He once held the belt, and his outspoken persona has always drawn attention. As such, Joe Rogan wondered aloud whether the UFC could throw him straight back into a title shot, despite his recent setback against Dricus Du Plessis.

According to him, “I wonder if he can get right back in there like that. Does he go right back into a title shot or does he have to fight somebody? He had staph infection (against Du Plessis at UFC 312).”

It’s a wild-card scenario, but not an impossible one. The UFC has a long history of prioritizing names that move the needle, even when rankings suggest otherwise. And Strickland, love him or hate him, is still a proven draw, and his recent NSAC suspension is reportedly set to expire by the end of this year.

For now, Nassourdine Imavov stands at the edge of opportunity, but the path to Khamzat Chimaev isn’t as clear as he hoped. Daniel Cormier questions whether dominance without a finish is enough, Joe Rogan flirts with the idea of Sean Strickland skipping the line, and Vancouver’s showdown between Reinier De Ridder and Anthony Hernandez looms large. The Frenchman may have claimed victory in Paris, but his fight to cement his claim for the title shot may have only just begun!