The UFC recently unveiled the main event lineup for UFC 335, featuring Charles Oliveira defending his BMT title against Diego Lopes. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira is slated to battle Sergei Pavlovich in a five-round showdown.
Despite this announcement, rumors have circulated for weeks about Sean Strickland potentially making his first middleweight title defense against Nassourdine Imavov at the December 12 event. Strickland, who is healthy and ready to compete, suggested on social media that financial disagreements are the reason the fight hasn’t been finalized.
When asked by an Instagram fan if he requested more money from the UFC, Strickland confirmed with a simple “bingo lol.” Although he didn’t provide more details, he had previously acknowledged ongoing negotiations with the UFC regarding the matchup.
At the end of September, Strickland replied to a fan on X about the rumored fight with Imavov, stating, “We’re discussing pay now. Once that detail is squared, it’s locked in. The issue is no one cares about the fake Frenchman. We’re almost there.”
In response, Imavov issued an open challenge to Strickland, even offering to stake a significant sum of his own money to make the title fight happen.
Nassourdine Imavov Proposes to Meet Sean Strickland’s Financial Demands That Halted UFC 335 Bout
With Strickland reportedly seeking a larger purse, the French-Dagestani fighter has pledged $500,000 of his own funds if Strickland agrees to the fight. A fan on X claimed that Strickland is demanding $1 million to fight Imavov at UFC 336 on January 16, whereas the UFC has only offered $400,000 plus $400,000 if he wins.
Imavov quickly responded, stating, “If it’s really about money, I’ll put $500K of my own money on the line if you beat me in January @SStricklandMMA, putting this on record. If you still don’t take it, then you’re just scared. I’ll handle you outside. @ufc THIS is your champ? Come on, STRIP HIM #NoHappyEnding.”
For context, Imavov is currently ranked No. 3 in the middleweight division and is on a five-fight winning streak. He recently earned a decision victory over Caio Borralho in the main event of UFC Paris in September 2025. That bout followed his knockout of Israel Adesanya seven months earlier. Interestingly, his last loss was to Strickland in 2023, a fight he accepted on short notice at light heavyweight during UFC Fight Night 217.
Meanwhile, Strickland recently had a close call when involved in a side-by-side vehicle crash traveling at 60 mph without a helmet. Despite minor injuries shown on social media, he was back sparring the next day at the UFC Performance Institute. His longtime coach Eric Nicksick advised caution but admitted there was little he could do to dissuade Strickland.
With Strickland back in training and no serious injury reported, it seems he remains ready to defend his title. If the two sides can settle the pay dispute, fans could finally witness the Strickland vs. Imavov matchup in early 2027.
Fan Take: This standoff highlights the growing tensions around fighter pay and negotiations in the UFC, a critical issue for the sport’s future. Seeing top contenders like Strickland and Imavov face off would not only settle a heated rivalry but also bring much-needed attention to how fighters are valued and compensated at the elite level.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
