Nassourdine Imavov responds to Khamzat Chimaev title snub with a warning for the division

Strickland earned another chance at the belt with just one win, coming off his loss to Dricus du Plessis earlier in the year.

He followed that up with a rematch defeat, but bounced back by stopping Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston to force his way back into title contention.

Imavov, who was on a five-fight winning streak and ranked above Strickland at No. 2, was overtaken in the race for a title shot by the American’s recent form.

He quickly addressed his supporters on social media after the decision, posting a message that carried an undertone of determination.

“To those who support, it’s coming. The others, it’s coming too,” Imavov wrote on X in French.

The Frenchman also shared a post pushing back against claims of ‘Dagestani privilege’ within the UFC.

Imavov and Strickland previously met three years ago in an impromptu light heavyweight bout, which Strickland won. Since then, Imavov has gone unbeaten and added several notable wins to his record.

Before defeating Caio Borralho last September in Paris, where he headlined, Imavov had already stopped Israel Adesanya with a knockout victory in Saudi Arabia.

The Dagestan-born fighter has continued to put together results since then, but may need more if he is going to get a first shot at UFC gold.