Sean Strickland Linked to High-Stakes Florida Matchup With Fight 'Close to Being Signed'

Sean Strickland is currently in a heavy, serious contract dispute with the UFC. He reportedly signed a new six-fight deal right before defeating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, meaning he still has five fights left under the promotion. Matchmakers had originally planned to book his next title defense against Nassourdine Imavov, but negotiations stalled after Strickland publicly aired his frustrations over fighter pay.

His perspective shifted after seeing the astronomical paychecks generated by Conor McGregor, alongside the reality that veteran boxers earn significantly higher checks than standard UFC championship purses. 

Reports suggest Strickland's current deal pays $400,000 to show and $400,000 to win, prompting him to threaten to vacate his middleweight title and pursue a lucrative boxing match against Jake Paul instead.

Amid this turmoil, the 35-year-old is once again linked to his original challenger. The high-stakes showdown against Imavov is now reportedly close to being finalized for February.

Sean Strickland Title Defense Is Near a Deal for February in Florida

This fluid situation took a dramatic turn out of nowhere on Tuesday when MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn dropped a bombshell report. Speaking on his podcast, The Bohnfire, Bohn revealed that despite the champion's public standoff, the UFC is aggressively pushing forward to finalize the matchup for February in Florida.

"It’s going to be Imavov next," Bohn told co-host Luke Thomas. "I’ve heard it’s maybe even signed or close to signed for February for somewhere in Florida, so I think this fight is happening." 

Thomas echoed the sentiment, confirming he had heard similar whispers from industry insiders. Still, Bohn’s reporting challenges the public narrative surrounding Strickland’s current position with the organization.

The friction has already turned deeply personal between the competitors. Imavov previously accused the champion of using money demands as an excuse to stall the rematch, even going so far as to publicly offer Strickland $500,000 out of his own pocket to take the fight. This tension exploded earlier this month when the two middleweights had a physical altercation at the UFC Performance Institute.

Given their recent feud, this rematch will carry significant hype whenever it gets booked. Just to recap, “Tarzan” comfortably secured a unanimous decision win after stepping in on ultra-short notice to replace Kelvin Gastelum for a light heavyweight contest in their first encounter.

"The Sniper" has completely transformed his game since that setback. The 31-year-old challenger has put together a stellar six-fight unbeaten streak (five wins, one no-contest) to climb to the No. 3 spot in the middleweight rankings.

While the promotion has not officially announced the date, venue, or card, the event is expected to serve as a major numbered pay-per-view in early 2027, following UFC 336 in Toronto on January 30. But first, Strickland must resolve his ongoing feud with the promotion.