Sean Strickland‘s heated pay dispute with the UFC has created a frustrating situation for both the champion and the promotion. However, the trickle-down effect of that deadlock has now reached the challenger Nassourdine Imavov, who has been waiting for a title shot against Strickland. The two fighters were involved in a fiery confrontation several hours ago that has since gone viral.

The first clip showed Imavov arriving at Strickland’s gym in Las Vegas, Xtreme Couture, with his teammates looking for Strickland. After the Russian-French fighter couldn’t find the middleweight champion there, he turned to social media and called the 35-year-old out.

“Sign the contract. Do you need a pen? Or do you need b—s?” Imavov declared.

A second clip shared on X showed Imavov confronting Sean Strickland at the UFC PI while surrounded by their respective teammates and security guards.

“What is the problem?” Imavov asked. “You not sign the contract?”

“Say what?” Strickland responded.

“You not sign the contract? What is the problem? Money?” Imavov stated. “I have money… I give (you). Strickland!”

The confrontation then spilled over outside the PI as Strickland left the building with his team. Imavov continued to goad him, making it clear that the champion’s comments on social media were what had actually gotten under his skin.

“The problem is he talks s–t every time, social media,” Imavov told a person who appeared to be part of UFC PI security. “I’m here now… he’s going. He is a p—y, bro!”

Nassourdine Imavov then watched Strickland’s team file out of the building before continuing to provoke the champion.

“Where are you going?” Imavov added. “I’m here! Where are you going? What you gonna do now?”

Someone in the distance who appeared to be with Sean Strickland then tried to calm Imavov down.

“Nass, stop,” the man said. “This isn’t helping!”

Imavov, however, continued trying to reach Strickland.

“Shut your mouth,” he responded.

Despite the attempt to calm the situation, Imavov suddenly tried to rush toward Strickland and his team, who were, by now, trying to get away. Security stepped in between them and attempted to stop Imavov. Thankfully, they managed to hold him back and prevent the confrontation from escalating further.

The incident comes as Strickland remains locked in a pay standoff with the UFC over his planned title defense against Imavov. ‘Tarzan’ has reportedly demanded a $1 million purse for the fight, while the UFC offered him $400,000 to show and another $400,000 if he wins.

Imavov’s patience appears to have worn thin after repeatedly waiting for his title opportunity. The Russian-French middleweight previously offered to put up $500,000 of his own money to Strickland just to secure the fight.

That offer, however, has not been enough to get the contract signed, with the UFC eventually moving on from the matchup. Charles Oliveira is now scheduled to defend his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December instead.

Following the heated episode at the Performance Institute, Strickland has now reacted to his confrontation with Imavov.

Sean Strickland speaks out after viral standoff with Nassourdine Imavov

For his part, Strickland remained fairly composed when Imavov approached him at the UFC PI. After the situation had settled, however, the UFC middleweight champion took to X to share his thoughts.

“Cringe… his training partner knows our schedule because he’s trained with us. But instead chose to go to the PI with the nicest underpaid staff and full security to get content,” Strickland wrote on X. “It was all fake content. If anything, it’s just mildly uncomfortable. 4 guys with iPhones and security lol I just felt awkward.”

Strickland clearly wasn’t impressed by Imavov showing up with his team. However, the incident also marked a rare public confrontation for the French-Russian fighter, who has generally avoided the kind of pre-fight hostilities that have followed Strickland throughout his career.

Imavov previously faced Strickland in January 2023, losing their five-round fight by unanimous decision. More than three years later, the two could now meet again with the UFC middleweight title on the line.

Strickland, meanwhile, has a long history of clashes with opponents before they ever step into the Octagon.

At the UFC 328 press conference, he had a heated confrontation with Khamzat Chimaev that descended into chaos after the Chechen fighter suddenly kicked him in the groin.

Even before that, Strickland and Dricus du Plessis engaged in a physical altercation at UFC 296, just weeks before their first meeting at UFC 297.

There was also a tense encounter with Ian Machado Garry at the UFC Performance Institute in late 2023, when security personnel had to separate the two fighters. That incident stemmed from Strickland’s comments about Garry and his wife, Layla.

The latest confrontation adds Imavov to that list, but unlike the previous incidents involving Strickland, this one is tied directly to an unresolved business dispute.

Nassourdine Imavov wants the title shot he has been waiting for. Sean Strickland wants the UFC to meet his demands. And with neither side appearing willing to back down, their next meeting could carry considerably more tension than their first.