Imavov Confirms Strickland Title Clash Date

Nassourdine Imavov says he has been given a date for his UFC middleweight title rematch with Sean Strickland.

Speaking at a fan event ahead of UFC Paris, Imavov told the crowd that his next fight is confirmed and will be for the belt, BJPenn.com reports. "I know the date for my next fight, and it is for the title," he said during the Q&A session.

Strickland's First Defense After Chimaev Win

Strickland recaptured the middleweight strap at UFC 328 earlier this year with a split decision over Khamzat Chimaev, handing the Swedish-Chechen contender his first loss. The win made Strickland one of a handful of two-time UFC middleweight champions. Chimaev briefly teased a permanent move to heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight before reversing course and announcing his intention to stay at 185 pounds.

Strickland beat Imavov in a short-notice fight at the UFC Apex years ago as both climbed the middleweight ladder. Imavov has not competed in nearly a year, and the promotion has yet to formally announce him as the next challenger. The rematch could land at UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in November, per BJPenn.com. That card has not been fully revealed but may also feature a heavyweight unification bout between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Nassourdine Imavov hints at imminent UFC announcement as he confirms Sean Strickland clash