Sean Strickland saves the first card of the year after Kelvin Gastelum pulls out of his fight with Nassourdine Imavov in Las Vegas. You might be wondering where the winner of UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Imavov, go next. In this article, we will take a closer look.
A Quick Summary of UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Imavov
Earlier this week, news broke that Kelvin Gastelum will be pulling out of his fight with Frenchmen Nassourdine Imavov, resulting in Sean Strickland becoming a late replacement and the bout now being a 205lb fight. Worth noting that Strickland also headlined the last card of 2023 against Jared Cannonier, meaning he is the second fighter to headline two events in a row, following Tito Ortiz headlining UFC 32 and UFC 33 in 2001. Strickland’s late replacement now means the bout will take place at 205lbs, which neither man has fought at before.
What’s Strickland’s Next Move?
Sean Strickland has had a rough run as of late. Losing to the current champion Alex Pereira via first-round KO and Jared Cannonier via split decision last December. Strickland is now ranked no.7 in the middleweight division, so he’s got plenty of options available if he wins. My favourite option would be to face the winner of Marvin Vettori vs Roman Dolidze, which takes place at UFC 286. Roman Dolidze is only one ranking below Strickland, so both men are likely to fight each other if they both win. Marvin Vettori is the second half of that bout, who I believe would pose a more significant threat to Strickland if they shared an octagon, as we haven’t seen Strickland deal with a Wrestler of Vettori’s calibre.
Another potential match-up for Strickland would be Darren Till. As of late, Darren has been on a significant losing streak which Strickland can capitalise on. Darren has that star power which Strickland can undoubtedly rub off onto himself and make himself more well-known to the more casual British fan. Darren is a very capable striker, and Strickland has shown to make poor decisions when facing dangerous strikers like Alex Pereira.
Imavov’s Next Step
Similarly, Imavov could take on the winner of Vettori vs Dolidze potentially in Paris if Dana White decides to go back there this year. Imavov is slightly more well-rounded but still prefers being on his feet, whereas someone like Vettori or Dolidze are both very experienced ground game and strike fighters. In Imavov’s last performance against Jaoquin Buckley in Paris, he came out on top unanimously, proving that he can stand with skilled kickboxers and keep his own.
Providing Imavov comes out on top against Strickland would place him in reaching distance of a title shot. That being said, the top 3 fighters of the division are tied up at the moment but ranks 4-6 would be a really good opportunity for Imavov to prove why he deserves a title shot. Bouts with Paulo Costa or the winner of Derek Brunson vs Dricus Du Plessis, hopefully taking place in march.
This Weekend Is Crucial for Both Men
The Frenchmen is on a real tear at the moment. With the explosion of French MMA, anything is possible, a future star in the making for Imavov. This fight is a real turnaround moment for Sean and can provide him that statement moment to prove he belongs in the top 10 of the middleweight division.
Who do you see leaving the winner at UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Imavov
