UFC did a nice job to salvage the main event for UFC Fight Night on Saturday. Sean Strickland had no fight scheduled at the week's start and Nassourdine Imavov planned a cut to 185 pounds. The two ranked middleweights will now headline the UFC Apex in Las Vegas up a weight class.
Imavov and Kelvin Gastelum were the original headliners for UFC's first card of 2023. A mouth injury suffered by Gastelum forced him off the card on Tuesday. Strickland, less than 30 days removed from headlining the final UFC event of 2022, stepped in for Gastelum on four days' notice. The impromptu booking shifted the fight from 185 pounds to 205 pounds, likely to allow Strickland an easier weight cut on such short notice.
Imavov (12-3) is quietly building himself a reputation as France's next great hope for a world title alongside his teammate, heavyweight Ciryl Gane. Imavov has pieced together a strong 5-1 run in UFC with only a majority loss sullying that record. Wins over Joaquin Buckley, Edmen Shahbazyan and Ian Heinisch have proven the potential is there. The light heavyweight contest should not affect the rankings at 185, but a win over Strickland sets Imavov up for the middleweight fights he desires most.
"If there is another UFC in Paris and I could main event, I'd like to fight someone in the top five, so why not Marvin Vettori or Paulo Costa?" Imavov told CBS Sports.
"My strength is the footwork. The way I move, the way I keep my distance. These are my strengths."
Imavov is aware of Strickland's notoriously big mouth when it comes to pre-fight trash talk and in-ring talk as well. He plans to try and keep his focus regardless of what comes his way verbally.
"What can he do other than Gastelum? Big mouth," Imavov said through an interpreter at media day this week. "I think I just have to be careful of what he's saying, the world that he's using. The big mouth. That's it. I heard that he's starting to speak already with you guys, so I'm pumped. Let's go."
Strickland (25-5) is officially in need of repairs after losing the momentum he built with six straight wins. Strickland enters UFC Fight Night having lost consecutive fights for the first time in his 30-fight career. A KO loss to Alex Pereira in a title eliminator was followed by a tight split decision loss to Cannonier on Dec. 17. Fighting again so soon was the furthest thing from Strickland's mind, but money talks and a call from UFC vice president of talent relations Mick Maynard was the catalyst for his quick turnaround.
"I was currently planning a snowboarding trip and then Mick calls me and I'm like, 'Mick is going to ask me to do something I don't want to do,'" Strickland told reporters at Wednesday's media day. "...He calls me and he's like, 'Hey, you want this fight?' I'm like, 'God damn it, Mick. I haven't done anything for a month. I've been sitting on my ass.'
"Then his suave Australian motherf---er ass says, 'We'll pay you a decent amount of money,' and I said, 'Well god damn it, I'm your f---ing huckleberry. Let's go f---ing fight a man.'"
Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news.
The rest of the card fills out nicely with fun matchups scattered across different weightclasses. Dan Ige and Damon Jackson are set to throw down in an important featherweight contest. Ige enters having lost his last three contests, all by decision. Jackson, meanwhile, looks to bring his submission specialty to the cage in hopes of rising the ranks. Plus, power puncher Punahele Soriano is back in a middleweight contest opposite Roman Kopylov.
Below is the rest of the fight card for Saturday night with the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook before we get to a prediction and pick on the main event.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Nassourdine Imavov -110 | Sean Strickland -110 | Light heavyweight |
| Dan Ige -120 | Damon Jackson +100 | Featherweight |
| Punahele Soriano -160 | Roman Kopylov +135 | Middleweight |
| Ketlen Vieira -130 | Raquel Pennington +110 | Women's bantamweight |
| Umar Nurmagomedov -900 | Raoni Barcelos +600 | Bantamweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Jan. 14 | Start time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: UFC Apex -- Las Vegas
TV channel: ESPN+
Prediction
Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov: There are so many weird variables to sort through. Will Strickland perform well on short notice? How will the new weight class impact Imavov? Can each camp adjust well to late-game plan changes? Then again, everything is weird with Strickland. The eclectic fighter made the atrocious decision to trade with hyper-accomplished kickboxer Pereira and paid the ultimate price. His inability to make adjustments in the Cannonier fight cost him a close split decision. It also appears, between the Cannonier and Jack Hermansson fights, that Strickland's aggressive style in three-rounders does not translate across 25 minutes. Imavov is a malleable up-and-comer with a thoughtful team behind him at France's MMA Factory. Strickland is the more technical boxer and lands more frequently. He also absorbs twice as many strikes as Imavov, the latter of whom utilizes good footwork and distance management to avoid trouble. Imavov doesn't possess a big takedown threat, but he maintains top position well and hunts submissions. The majority of this fight will take place on the feet. Siding with Strickland is the safe choice. He has far more experience at a high level and a superior stand-up game, but I have high expectations for Imavov. Imavov's ability to strike at various ranges, from clinch elbows to outside jabs, and superior mid-fight adjustments will lead him to a competitive victory. Imavov via UD
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Imavov? And how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the incomparable expert who's up nearly $12,000 on MMA in the past four years, and find out.
