That’s all he’s missing. After beating five members of the top 15 middleweights in a year and a half, Nassourdine Imavov now has his eyes on the Holy Grail: the UFC belt. At 29, the French MMA fighter wants to become the first Habs to win this precious sesame, after the failures of Ciryl Gane and Manon Fiorot.
While his last fight dates back to UFC Paris 4 on September 6 against Caio Borralho (victory by unanimous decision), the protégé of Nicolas Ott gave news of his future projects on social networks. “I had a good conversation with the UFC,” he wrote on X. “I told them: (I want) only a title fight! If we have to wait, we will wait. No distractions, no detours. Great things require exceptional preparation. Rest assured, I will be ready! »
A message directly sent to the champion of the category, Khamzat Chimaev, who did not shy away and quickly responded. “See you after Ramadan, Imavov. You have time to work on your fight, my brother,” reacted the terror of the UFC, undefeated in 15 appearances in the cage and who has already shared training sessions with the Frenchman.
The fight should therefore wait until the end of March at least. In 2026, Ramadan is scheduled from February 17 to March 19. The Chechen should therefore accept a date at the start of the 2nd trimester, time to refine his preparation after this month of fasting. A delay which could allow Nassourdine Imavov to work on his strategy and find the key to beating an invincible Chimaev.
