UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland hinted at his next opponent as he continues to heal up from an injured shoulder.
Strickland pulled off a massive upset at UFC 328 in May when he defeated the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev via split decision to reclaim the UFC middleweight title that he lost to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024.
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Following the fight with Chimaev, Strickland has been dealing with a shoulder injury, pushing his first title defense to the end of 2026 or potentially until 2027.
We don’t know yet who Strickland will fight in his first title defense in his second stint as UFC middleweight champion, but it’s going to be a rematch either way, against Chimaev or Nassourdine Imavov.
Now, it looks like one fighter over another has the edge to get the next title shot at 185 lbs.
Sean Strickland Hints at Next Opponent
Taking to his social media, Strickland hinted at a rematch with Chimaev as his next fight.
“Yall keep asking me when Im gonna fight again. Shoulder is getting solid, need a little longer. As to who Im fighting.. Chimeav keeps running his (expletive) mouth. Want me to teach you how to cut weight so you can stop (expletive) for a second L?” Strickland wrote on X.
Strickland vs. Chimaev was one of the biggest fights of the year as their bad blood made it a much-watch contest, but since Chimaev never defended his belt once, it seems unfair that he would get an immediate title shot.
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That being said, if the UFC thinks the rematch between Strickland and Chimaev is bigger than a rematch between Strickland and Imavov, you can see why he could jump past Imavov and get the title shot.
Nassourdine Imavov Could Get Left in the Dust
Imavov has been waiting a long time for a 185 lbs title shot. His last fight was a decision win over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris in September 2025, which was his fifth straight win inside the Octagon, preceded by a knockout win over former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
On paper, Imavov deserves the next title shot at 185 lbs. But there are a few things that are working against him right now.
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First off, Imavov has already fought Strickland, and the fight wasn’t particularly close, either, as Strickland won a clear unanimous decision in January 2023 over him at a UFC Apex event.
Second, Imavov isn’t exactly known for being a big draw, while Chimaev is. Again, we know that the UFC is all about booking the biggest fights possible, so even though Imavov is deserving of a title shot on paper, the fact that fans are clamouring to watch him fight for the belt is working against him.
Imavov’s best bet right now might be to take another fight and reaffirm his spot as the No. 1 contender at 185 lbs while Strickland and Chimaev rematch. In that case, a fight against another former UFC middleweight champion in du Plessis for a No. 1 contender spot would make sense for both fighters.
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