Joe Rogan has a novel suggestion for who should face Khamzat Chimaev next.
Nassourdine Imavov (17-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) moved to the front of the line in the race to challenge Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) with an impressive decision win over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris on Saturday.
With Reinier de Ridder (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and Anthony Hernandez (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) also in the mix, the title picture is heating up. De Ridder and Hernandez are set to meet at UFC Vancouver on October 18, giving the UFC matchmaking team some difficult decisions to make.
"Who's getting Khamzat next? It really depends what that fight (De Ridder vs. Hernandez) looks like, right, because this was a f*cking war," Rogan said of Imavov vs. Borralho on the latest episode of JRE Fight Companion. "This was a good fight. He might not have stopped him, but he put on a show. They both went after it.”
While Imavov, de Ridder, and Hernandez have all been on impressive runs recently, Rogan suggested another option: former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland (29-7 MMA, 16-7 UFC).
Although Strickland dropped his last fight to Dricus Du Plessis, he holds a victory over Imavov, and Rogan believes it’s not out of the question that “Tarzan” could work his way back into the title conversation soon.
“Who is the big star behind these guys now, behind Imavov?,” Rogan pondered. “So Imavov just has this great performance. Who's the big star other than him? (Strickland) is the biggest star, for sure.
"I wonder if he can get right back in there like that? But does he go right back into a title shot or does he have to fight somebody? He lost to Dricus (Du Plessis). He hasn't lost to anybody since then. That was quite a while ago. He also had staph going into that second fight (against Du Plessis at UFC 312). You're also fighting one of the most physical guys in the division who's a f*cking bulldog. Dricus is an animal. He never gets tired, comes f*cking throwing haymakers at you, he keeps punching."
