"Him and Strickland should run it back" - Fan suggests Nassourdine Imavov vs. Sean Strickland rematch after sharp new training clip

Nassourdine Imavov last entered the octagon in February when he picked up the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career, defeating Israel Adesanya via second-round TKO at UFC Fight Night 250. The No.1-ranked middleweight has expressed interest in fighting for the title next, however, many believe that he will have to wait for Khamzat Chimaev to challenge Dricus du Plessis.

While the timeline of his return remains unclear, 'The Sniper' recently shared footage of himself back in the gym. Championship Rounds posted the clip to X, captioning the post:

"Nassourdine Imavov looking sharp in new training footage 👀🔥 🎥 @imavov1 #UFC #MMA"

Check out the X post from Championship Rounds below:

Fans shared their reaction to the footage. @BSmackemup suggested that Imavov should attempt to avenge his loss to Sean Strickland:

"Him and Strickland should run it back if he’s not going to get the next title shot"

@MIkhavus believes he is a bad matchup for du Plessis:

"Imamov is a bad match up for DDP."

@TruthfulUfcFan is looking forward to seeing the No.1-ranked middleweight return:

"Dudes a beast, can’t wait to see his next fight"

@varietyspeaker suggested he should face a rising middleweight prospect:

"Imavov vs Caio Borralho for UFC317 🔥"

Check out the best fan reactions below:

Fan reactions

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Nassourdine Imavov calls for title opportunity against Dricus du Plessis

Dricus du Plessis revealed that he would prefer to face Khamzat Chimaev over Nassourdine Imavov in his next title defense as the former would bring him more money. The No.1-ranked middleweight reacted to the clip on X, posting:

"That's what the @ufc is all about, allow the best to become champ, no matter their fame, you're a good example of that. You took advantage of it and now you’re closing the door. Khamzat is a superstar, he'll sell against anyone. Him or me, your time’s coming @dricusduplessis"

Check out Nassourdine Imavov's comments on Dricus du Plessis' statement below:

Imavov is on a four-fight winning streak, with his latest victory against Adesanya making him the top-ranked contender in the middleweight division. Meanwhile, the undefeated Chimaev has been in the title conversation - first at welterweight and now at middleweight - for several years. He was told that his next fight would be for the title following his first-round submission victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.