Potential Main and Co-Main for UFC 335. What do y’all think? Comment 👇
UFC 335 is reportedly being eyed as the stage for a middleweight title fight between champion Sean Strickland and top contender Nassourdine Imavov, with Charles Oliveira featured in a co-main event slot at lightweight.
Strickland, 35, carries a 31-7 record and holds the middleweight title fighting out of Xtreme Couture. The American orthodox striker is one of the busiest volume punchers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute — a figure that ranks among the highest in the sport. At six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, "Tarzan" has built his game around relentless forward pressure and output.
Standing across from him would be Nassourdine Imavov, ranked third at middleweight and carrying a 17-4 record. The 30-year-old Frenchman, who trains at MMA Factory, brings length and athleticism to the equation at six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach. "The Sniper" lands 4.28 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy, and his submission threat — one attempt per 15 minutes — adds a grappling dimension to what would otherwise look like a striker-versus-striker matchup.
The co-main event would feature Charles Oliveira, the 36-year-old Brazilian ranked third in the lightweight division. Oliveira's 37-11 record is decorated with some of the most prolific submission work in UFC history, and those instincts remain sharp — he averages 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 2.22 takedowns in the same span. "Do Bronxs" is also a capable striker, connecting on 54 percent of his significant strikes.
Why it matters
- Strickland vs. Imavov would put the middleweight title on the line against the division's third-ranked contender
- Imavov's combination of reach, volume, and submission attempts presents a varied stylistic test for the champion
- Oliveira's placement in the co-main keeps one of lightweight's most dangerous finishers in a high-profile slot as he pursues another run at the top of his division
- Both bouts carry rankings implications in their respective weight classes
