Heavy is the head that wears the crown. So can the waistband that holds the belt.
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has been “out of it” recently over his current situation – his words not mine. He said his “the heart is not in MMA” and that he wants to switch to boxing.He has also been candid, as he so often is, UFC salary per recently.
While Strickland figures out his next steps, Nassourdine Imavov is waiting in the wings to challenge him for the title. Imavov has suffered from being the odd man out at middleweight thanks to a few so-called wins and a complete lack of personality. However, in the current climate, it’s pretty obvious that he deserves the next shot (if deserves is even a thing in MMA).
Here’s a video of that short exchange.
In the video, Imavov asks Strickland why he hasn’t signed a contract to fight him yet. And then asks her that if money is a problem, she can find him money. Strickland gives the comments the attention they deserve, shrugs, and goes about his business.
It was later revealed that Imavov went to Strickland’s gym before heading to PI. A real man on a mission, this Imavov.
Strickland later called the whole thing a “crimp” on Instagram.
Strickland also advised Imavov to go to PI because he knew he could bully the staff into confronting Strickland. “It was all fake content,” Strickland said. “If anything, it (sic) is just mildly uncomfortable.”
It is difficult to consider this a victory for Imavov. If anything works out, it could make Strickland wait longer to reach a deal to see him. That’s all assuming Strickland’s ultimate goal is to continue fighting in the UFC (with a higher salary) and not actually jump ship and find something he thinks might be more fun and/or more profitable.
