The UFC is headed to Orlando, Florida, in February 2027. Sean Strickland vs Nassourdine Imavov is expected to be on the card. The matchup has not been confirmed as official.
The UFC is reportedly heading to Orlando, Florida, in February 2027, with a middleweight rematch between Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov expected to feature on the card. The matchup has not been confirmed as official, and the report should be treated as unconfirmed for now.
If the fight materializes, it would be a second meeting between the two. Strickland won the first, a unanimous decision over five rounds at a UFC Fight Night on January 14, 2023.
Strickland, 35, arrives as the middleweight champion with a record of 31-7-0. The American out of Xtreme Couture most recently won the title in a split decision over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, the most recent of his recorded fights. Before that he stopped Anthony Hernandez by KO/TKO in the third round in February 2026. He lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy.
Imavov, 30, is the number three-ranked middleweight and carries a 17-4-0 record. The Frenchman, who trains at MMA Factory, has won three straight in his recorded fights, including a second-round KO/TKO of Israel Adesanya in February 2025 and a unanimous decision over Caio Borralho in September 2025. His striking is more selective but more accurate than the champion's, at 4.28 significant strikes per minute with 54 percent accuracy. He also averages one submission attempt per 15 minutes, compared with 0.2 for Strickland.
Why it matters
- Imavov sits third in the rankings and would be taking a title shot against a champion he has already faced once.
- The first fight went five rounds and ended on the scorecards, so a rematch carries a clear reference point for both camps.
- Imavov is two inches taller at six-foot-three (191 cm) against Strickland's six-foot-one (185 cm), though Strickland holds a slight reach edge at 76 inches (193 cm) to 75 inches (191 cm).
- Takedown output is nearly level, with Imavov at 0.74 per 15 minutes and Strickland at 0.71.
No date, venue or broadcast details for the Orlando event have been confirmed, and neither fighter has been officially booked.
