Dricus du Plessis questions Nassourdine Imavov’s fighting future amid inactivity: “It’s been a while”

Dricus du Plessis is wondering where Naassourdine Imavov has been.

Imavov has long been considered the rightful No. 1 contender for the UFC Middleweight Championship, but he was passed over in favor of a grudge match between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev back in May. Strickland ended up defeating Chimaev, and now many are expecting a rematch, although UFC CEO Dana White hasn’t committed to it just yet.

If a rematch between Strickland and “Borz” does indeed happen next, it would leave Imavov on the outside looking in once again. “Stillknocks” has questioned how much longer “The Sniper” will wait before stepping back inside the Octagon. During the UFC OKC post-fight press conference, du Plessis pondered Imavov’s prizefighting future (via MMAFighting).

“I beat [Strickland] twice, and I don’t even know if Imavov is still fighting,” du Plessis said. “Is he? Is he still fighting, Imavov? It’s been a while.”

Imavov was last seen in action back in Sept. 2025. He headlined the UFC Paris card against Caio Borralho. Imavov turned in a one-sided showing to nab the unanimous decision victory. The win extended his streak to five.

As for du Plessis, he recently had his first outing since being swept by Chimaev. The former UFC Middleweight Champion traded leather with Kamaru Usman in the UFC OKC main event. While Usman had a late surge, du Plessis was in control for most of the fight, and he secured the unanimous decision win.

Whether or not Imavov finally gets a crack at UFC gold in his next bout is a story that fight fans have been paying close attention to. Chimaev has been adamant about wanting a rematch with Strickland, but White said it ultimately boils down to what the audience wants to see.

What do you expect Nassourdine Imavov’s next fight to be? Will he be competing for a title next, or is a bout with someone like Dricus du Plessis more likely? Share your thoughts in the comments below.