Nassourdine Imavov

Dricus Du Plessis has stated that he considers himself superior to both Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov. Imavov recently took to social media to say he has not been offered any fights since defeating Caio Borralho, making clear he has never turned down a bout. The situation has fueled calls for either a Du Plessis–Strickland trilogy or a Du Plessis–Imavov matchup.

Dricus Du PlessisSean StricklandCaio BorralhoNassourdine Imavov

Islam Makhachev has weighed in on the upcoming middleweight bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman, predicting Du Plessis will come out on top. Makhachev noted that Usman's strategy of moving up in weight makes sense — a win over Du Plessis would position Usman as the next title contender given his prior win over Strickland. However, Makhachev believes Usman's knee problems will prevent him from sustained wrestling, giving Du Plessis the edge.

Dricus Du PlessisSean StricklandIslam MakhachevMichael Bisping+4

Jared Cannonier has entered each of his last six UFC bouts as an underdog, a streak stretching back to 2022. His recent opponents — including Caio Borralho, Nassourdine Imavov, Gregory Rodrigues, Michael Page, and Marvin Vettori — have all opened as favorites against him, with Cannonier's odds ranging from +105 to +260.

Jared CannonierCaio BorralhoMarvin VettoriNassourdine Imavov+3

Nikolai Kiosse, who has sparred with both Petr Yan and Aaron Pico, described the two fighters as being on completely different levels. He noted that Pico's distance-closing is readable and predictable, pointing to the stepping pattern that Cody Murphy exploited with an elbow — a movement Kiosse believes Pico picked up from training with TJ Dillashaw. By contrast, Kiosse praised Yan as a uniquely gifted fighter, highlighting his seamless footwork, defensive wrestling, and ability to continuously chain attacks after committing, referencing his performances against Cory Sandhagen and Merab Dvalishvili as prime examples.

Aaron PicoCory SandhagenMovsar EvloevNassourdine Imavov+4

Nursulton Ruziboev submitted Andrei Pulyaev at UFC Baku, extending his UFC middleweight record to a perfect 5-0 and his overall UFC mark to 5-1. The finish gives Ruziboev 20 submission victories in his professional career. Following the win, he called for a top-15 middleweight opponent, stating he has turned down no challenges.

Andrey PulyaevNursulton RuziboevNassourdine Imavov

Dricus Du Plessis says he wants his next middleweight bout against Kamaru Usman to silence questions about his grappling and wrestling, not just his striking. He argues that beating another pure striker would add little to his legacy after twice defeating Sean Strickland. Du Plessis points to Usman's wrestling background, his win over Strickland, and a close fight with Khamzat Chimaev as proof that the matchup tests every dimension of his game.

Dricus Du PlessisSean StricklandKhamzat ChimaevNassourdine Imavov+1