Khamzat Chimaev says he intends to fight the winner of the rematch between Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov. He says he hopes to return as soon as possible, but that the timing is not up to him and he will be ready whenever the UFC makes the call. Asked who will win, Chimaev said he will. He is hoping the Strickland-Imavov rematch is organized quickly so he can face the champion.
Khamzat Chimaev has made his next target clear: whoever comes out of the Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov rematch.
Chimaev said he intends to fight the winner and wants to return as soon as possible. He acknowledged that the timing is not up to him and said he will be ready whenever the UFC makes the call. Asked who would win, he answered that he would. He is hoping the rematch is organized quickly so he can face the champion.
The 32-year-old Chimaev is 15-1 and holds the number one spot in the middleweight rankings, along with the number 10 position in the pound-for-pound list. Representing the United Arab Emirates and training at Allstars Training Center, he comes off the first loss of his career, a split decision to Strickland over five rounds in a title fight at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026. That came after a unanimous decision win over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025. His wrestling-heavy profile stands out: 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes and 60 percent striking accuracy.
Strickland, the 35-year-old champion, is 31-7 and fights out of Xtreme Couture. He beat Chimaev in that UFC 328 title bout and has since added to his résumé: his most recent recorded fight was a third-round KO/TKO of Anthony Hernandez in February 2026, which preceded the Chimaev win. He lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy.
Imavov, 30, is 17-4, ranked third at middleweight and fights out of France's MMA Factory. His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision over Caio Borralho in September 2025, following a second-round TKO of Israel Adesanya in February 2025. He has already faced Strickland once, losing a unanimous decision over five rounds in January 2023.
Why it matters
- Strickland has beaten both men in this picture: Imavov by unanimous decision in 2023 and Chimaev by split decision in May 2026.
- Chimaev's takedown rate of 5.29 per 15 minutes dwarfs Strickland's 0.71 and Imavov's 0.74, so a Chimaev fight with either man would likely test their takedown defense.
- Chimaev is two inches shorter than Imavov at six-foot-two against six-foot-three, with identical reaches of 75 inches, while he holds a one-inch edge in height over Strickland.
- The rematch has not been scheduled in anything reported here, so Chimaev's timeline depends on when the UFC books it.
Nassourdine Imavov vs Sean Strickland
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