After Sean Strickland confirmed he passed on headlining #UFC335 because the UFC's financial offer was insufficient, Imavov fired right back with a massive personal wager 🗣️ "If it's really about money, I'll put $500K of my own money on the line if you beat me in January. I'm putting this on record. If you still don't take it, then you're just scared. I'll handle you outside the cage, fake champ. STRIP HIM." Strickland claimed nobody cares about the "fake Frenchman," but Imavov is willing to bet half a million dollars of his own purse to settle it in the Octagon!
Nassourdine Imavov has put his own money behind a call for a January fight with Sean Strickland, offering a $500,000 personal wager after Strickland said he turned down a UFC 335 headliner over pay.
Strickland confirmed he passed on the main event slot because the UFC's financial offer fell short of what he wanted. He also dismissed Imavov, claiming nobody cares about the "fake Frenchman." Imavov answered by saying that if the issue is truly money, he will stake $500,000 of his own on beating Strickland in January. He said he was putting the offer on record and that if Strickland still refuses, it means he is scared. Imavov also called him a "fake champ" and urged the promotion to strip him of the belt.
Strickland, 35, is the middleweight champion with a 31-7-0 record. The American fights out of Xtreme Couture and stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. He lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy, a volume-heavy style built on a steady jab and pressure.
Imavov, 30, is ranked third at middleweight and carries a 17-4-0 record. The Frenchman trains at MMA Factory and stands six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach. He lands 4.28 significant strikes per minute but at a sharper 54 percent accuracy, and he averages one submission attempt per 15 minutes, a figure well above Strickland's 0.2.
Why it matters
- Imavov's public wager turns a pay dispute into a direct challenge to a champion who has declined a title-level assignment.
- The call to strip Strickland puts pressure on the UFC to resolve the middleweight title picture.
- The matchup would pair Strickland's high-volume pressure against Imavov's more accurate, longer-framed striking.
The UFC has not responded to Imavov's offer, and no bout has been made official.
