Nassourdine Imavov strikes Jared Cannonier.Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
As questionable as Imavov’s fourth-round stoppage of Cannonier was, it will completely change his fortune in the middleweight division.
When the rankings are updated this week, he will almost certainly land in the division’s top five, from which point he’ll likely be no more than a win away from a title shot.
Given the circumstances of Imavov’s win in Louisville, there is an argument for a sequel with Cannonier, but if the Frenchman gets his way, it will be a fight with former champion Sean Strickland in Paris next.
“My goal is the belt, so I’d like to fight Sean Strickland in Paris,” he said in his post-fight interview. “Sean Strickland, if you want to do it, come to Paris and we’re going to fight together.”
Imavov has met Strickland once before, suffering a unanimous-decision loss in a short-notice bout early last year. That outcome might discourage the American from accepting a rematch, but the former champion isn’t in a position to be calling his shots right now.
After losing his belt to Dricus Du Plessis in January, he looked to get back on track against Paulo Costa at UFC 302 earlier this month. While he won that fight by decision, it was an absolutely stinker, contrary to his many promises that it would be a thrilling war. It did almost nothing to strengthen his claim to a title shot.
Since his win over Costa, Strickland has stated he intends to wait for a crack at the belt, but with the likes of Israel Adesanya, and the winner of an upcoming fight between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev most likely ahead of him in the queue, he will probably be waiting some time.
He will most likely need to take another fight in the meantime, and will surely realize this before too long. If that’s the way it happens, Imavov seems like the right opponent.
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