Sean Strickland Off UFC 335 Card as Middleweight Title Match Remains Unbooked

UFC 335, scheduled for December 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will be headlined by a BMF title bout between Charles Oliveira and Diego Lopes, while Alex Pereira faces Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event. The anticipated middleweight title fight between champion Sean Strickland and challenger Nassourdine Imavov was excluded from the final card.

Reports indicate Strickland was healthy and available for the event, with no lingering injuries from a recent side-by-side vehicle rollover. Although neither the UFC nor Strickland has confirmed the cause of the delay, speculation points to unresolved financial negotiations. Strickland previously suggested pay was the primary issue, a sentiment he echoed on social media.

In response to the stalled negotiations, Imavov publicly proposed a challenge on social media, offering $500,000 of his own money to Strickland if the champion wins in a potential January matchup. Imavov also urged the UFC to strip Strickland of the title if the fight fails to materialize. As of now, the UFC has not announced any official date or agreement for the title bout.