The UFC middleweight title picture has been anything but quiet lately. Sean Strickland’s public complaints about his contract have put his rumored fight with Nassourdine Imavov on ice, leaving the division’s next title challenger up in the air.
Imavov even tried to help get the fight over the line by offering to pay Strickland $500,000 from his own pocket. The French-Dagestani hoped the gesture would help bridge the gap between the champion’s alleged $1 million demand and what the UFC was willing to offer. However, that offer failed to produce the desired result.
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Things took a more personal turn when the two fighters ran into each other outside the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
The encounter came shortly after Strickland aired his frustrations in a series of explosive posts on X on October 6. Viral footage from the scene showed Imavov pressing the champion for an answer on why he had yet to accept the fight. He also brought up his $500,000 offer again, making it clear that he wanted the matchup to happen.
At one point, someone nearby attempted to defuse the situation, telling Imavov that his approach was not helping matters. But the middleweight contender kept going as Strickland turned to leave.
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The exchange grew even more heated toward the end of the video, with Imavov seemingly moving after Strickland as others tried to hold him back. UFC security eventually intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
