Nassourdine Imavov is growing frustrated with Sean Strickland as he waits for his opportunity to challenge for the UFC middleweight championship.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has shared details of a confrontation between Imavov and reigning middleweight champion Strickland at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, with the French contender reportedly challenging Strickland over his reluctance to sign a fight contract.
Strickland has publicly expressed his desire for increased pay, leaving Imavov waiting for a potential championship opportunity. According to Cormier, the situation came to a head when the two fighters crossed paths this week at the UFC's training facility.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Cormier described the encounter and explained why the UFC Performance Institute can be an uncomfortable place for fighters who may eventually face one another inside the Octagon.
“The UFC PI is a great, great tool for athletes of the UFC. The UFC PI also is a danger zone for certain athletes or most athletes, honestly, because the ability to come across someone you're going to fight is very present almost every single day,” Cormier said.
Cormier, who competed in the UFC while the facility was open, explained that he deliberately avoided training there because he did not want to run into his potential opponents outside the competitive environment.
“I just didn't train there because I did not want to run into all of my competition,” he added.
Imavov Challenges Strickland Over the Championship Fight
According to Cormier, Imavov was particularly direct when confronting Strickland, questioning why the champion had not agreed to the proposed matchup.
“Imavov was saying, ‘What's your problem? You don't sign the contract.’ Sean said, ‘Say what?’ Imavov said, ‘Hey, money. I have money. I'll give you. What are you going to do now? I'm here,’” Cormier recounted.
The exchange appeared to center on Strickland's reported desire for more money before agreeing to fight Imavov. Cormier interpreted the contender's remarks as an attempt to remove that obstacle and get the championship fight booked.
“Because obviously Sean Strickland wants more money. He said it publicly. So Imavov is almost telling him, ‘I will pay you to fight me,’ right?” Cormier explained.
Cormier also noted that Imavov's willingness to confront Strickland in person was significant, given the champion's reputation for his reactions to people who challenge him.
“Here's the thing — most people would not approach Sean Strickland in that just normal environment. We've seen what he's done to people that have done that. But Imavov is just like, ‘Yo, I want to fight.’ Obviously he's not afraid of him, he's a professional so he's in his face,” Cormier said.
According to Cormier's account, Strickland ultimately walked away from the exchange rather than escalating the situation.
“To his credit, Sean walked away, (he) was like, ‘Yo, what is this guy talking about,’” Cormier added.
Why Imavov Needs a Fight With Strickland
While Imavov is clearly eager to secure his championship opportunity, Cormier believes the matchup would offer the contender much more than a chance to win the middleweight title.
Imavov has established himself as a leading contender in the division, and a victory over a champion of Strickland's standing could further elevate his profile. Cormier argued that beating Strickland would provide Imavov with a defining win that could help establish him as a legitimate champion and increase his popularity.
“Nassourdine Imavov needs Sean Strickland, and not for only the championship. Nassourdine Imavov needs Sean Strickland because you need someone to beat to become champion to really legitimize you and help with your star appeal,” Cormier said.
“A win over Sean Strickland would do that for Imavov.”
