Du Plessis loss reshapes UFC middleweight line as Chimaev targets Strickland

Middleweight contenders now have to plan around a likely Sean Strickland title shot, with Nassourdine Imavov potentially waiting longer despite his position near the top of the rankings. As of Sunday at 12: 20 p. m. ET, UFC champion Khamzat Chimaev used social media to signal he is healthy and “waiting for Strickland, ” tightening the immediate path forward after beating Dricus du plessis for the belt.

Sean Strickland moves to the front of Khamzat Chimaev’s title-defense plans

The most immediate change is directional: Chimaev has publicly framed Strickland as the opponent he wants next, which shifts attention away from other contenders and toward a matchup the fighters are already promoting online. Chimaev addressed injury questions directly, replying that he is not injured and is “waiting for Strickland, ” a message that helped end short-term speculation about whether he could compete soon.

Strickland responded to Chimaev’s post with an American flag and a fist emoji, a quick acknowledgment that he is receptive to the fight. The exchange follows Strickland’s recent win over Anthony Hernandez, after which Strickland called out Chimaev and traded trash talk with him. No official date or venue for a title defense has been announced.

Brendan Schaub, a former UFC fighter and MMA podcaster, also argued publicly that Strickland should be the challenger, describing him as one of the promotion’s “only stars” and saying the fight would “gain traction. ” Schaub’s comments leaned on Strickland’s profile and readiness to accept a fight whenever asked, framing that as a business case for making the matchup.

Nassourdine Imavov’s position gets murkier despite rankings and a win streak

The secondary consequence lands on Imavov, who has been described as widely considered the rightful No. 1 contender for the middleweight title. Even so, the current signals from the champion suggest Imavov may not be next, with Chimaev showing little interest in that matchup.

In the current middleweight ranking picture described in the available coverage, Strickland sits third, with Imavov second and Du Plessis first. Yet the champion’s stated preference places Strickland in the spotlight regardless of that order. Schaub also dismissed the idea that Imavov would get the next shot, pointing to Strickland’s prior win over Imavov at light heavyweight in January 2023 and arguing the star-power calculus favors Strickland.

Imavov’s public comments add heat to the logjam. He has stated he has “hate in his heart” for Strickland and warned he would “leave him dead in the cage, ” language that underscores how the contender picture can turn into parallel rivalries when the title path narrows. Still, Chimaev’s public posture keeps the belt’s next step focused on Strickland rather than on resolving that tension with Imavov.

Dricus du plessis fallout and Chimaev’s detours: RAF, health questions, and event chatter

The current lineup traces back to Chimaev’s title win over du plessis, a result that reset the division and created the opening for a new champion’s first defense. Coverage of the situation states Chimaev captured the middleweight championship by defeating Dricus du plessis at UFC 319 over six months ago, and that an injury after that fight prevented a quick return, feeding uncertainty about when—and even where—he would fight next.

That uncertainty also produced side paths. Before leaning into the Strickland matchup, Chimaev floated the idea of a wrestling match against Colby Covington under the Real American Freestyle banner after watching RAF 6 in Arizona. Covington appeared on stage at the event and called out multiple potential opponents, and Chimaev responded by offering to face Covington at the next RAF event scheduled for March 28 in Tampa, Florida, writing online: “Next RAF I will make American boy humble again, ” and addressing Covington as “colbiclown. ”

Separately, questions had circulated about whether Chimaev might move up to light heavyweight without defending the middleweight title. The coverage notes that the announcement of Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 327 suggests Chimaev will stay at 185 pounds for now, reinforcing that the title picture remains anchored in the middleweight division.

There has also been chatter about a possible special UFC event at the White House as a potential setting for Chimaev vs. Strickland. In that conversation, Chimaev previously expressed doubt that a Russian fighter would be welcome at such an event, while Strickland previously said he didn’t want to fight in front of “the Epstein list. ” None of that has been confirmed with an official booking, and the only firm scheduling detail in the available coverage is the separate RAF event date of March 28 in Tampa.

For now, the clearest accelerant for the middleweight title picture is an official UFC announcement of Chimaev’s first defense opponent and date. If the UFC matches Chimaev with Strickland, Imavov’s next move likely shifts to securing another win while waiting for the champion’s plans to change; if the promotion instead prioritizes the contender order, the next signal would come through a formal bout announcement that contradicts Chimaev’s stated preference.