Sean Strickland appears to believe Nassourdine Imavov is next for him following his stunning UFC 328 title victory.

Strickland became a two-time UFC Middleweight Champion after handing Khamzat Chimaev the first loss of his pro MMA career this past Saturday. Chimaev ran into issues with Strickland’s takedown defense in the second round, which let to him engaging in the standup. Fans got a fun five-round affair that ended with Strickland taking home the split decision win and the 185-pound title.

With UFC 328 now in the past, Strickland is looking at Imavov as his likely challenger. Still, Strickland told the UFC 328 post-fight panel that he plans to get some rest and heal his busted nose before getting back to the action.

“Me and my girl, we’ve been in camp for over six months,” Strickland said. “You guys know how camp is. We don’t do things on weekends. We don’t travel. We don’t go out to eat. She’s pretty much my dietician. So, I’m gonna give her a break. I think, what did they say? Nassourdine’s next? So, he’s next. I’ll take a little breather. I wanna go support my boy Alex [Pereira] at the White House. I wanna watch him make history and get that third belt, but give me a little time, let my broken nose heal and let’s get back in there and get some fights going on. We must move forward.”

If Strickland and Imavov are eventually booked for a middleweight title fight, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve shared the Octagon. Strickland holds a unanimous decision win over “The Sniper” when the two first met back in early 2023. That bout was contested at 205 pounds.

Do you think a rematch between Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov would play out differently? You can share your thoughts in the comments below.