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Nassourdine Imavov vs. Sean Strickland Betting Preview

In the UFC’s first event of the New Year, Middleweights No. 7-ranked Sean Strickland (25-5) and No. 12-ranked Imavov (12-3) will be featured in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday, January 14th, at the Apex Center in Las Vegas Nevada. Imavov was originally supposed to take on Kelvin Gastelum. However, that bout was canceled, opening the door for Strickland to take the fight on short notice. Let’s take a closer look at how these two fighters stack up and give you the best insight to place your bets at UFC Fight Night 217.

Nassourdine Imavov Betting Preview: Imavov Faces Biggest Test Yet in the UFC

Nassourdine Imavov enters this matchup with a UFC ranking of No. 12 in the middleweight division and has won three fights in a row, most recently defeating Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision in September. Overall, France native Imavov comes into this contest with a 12-3 record, including going 4-1 in the UFC up to this point, with his only loss coming by a majority decision to Phil Hawes in 2021.

Imavov has impressed MMA fans with a 9-1 record over his last ten fights. While Imavov still has room to grow, he has taken the UFC by storm with his well-rounded grappling and submission skills. Imavov is no slouch on the feet as well, with two of his last three wins coming by way of TKO via elbows and punches. Imavov throws accurate strikes from different angles and moves well laterally, making him a tough opponent to read.

Sean Strickland Betting Preview: Strickland Takes Fight on Short Notice, Look to Break Two-Fight Skid

Sean Strickland (25-5) on the other hand, is the first UFC fighter to compete in back-to-back main events since Tito Ortiz in UFC 29 and UFC 30. Strickland is coming off a split-decision loss to Jared Cannonier and will try to make a statement to start the new year after losing his last two matchups.

The No. 7 middleweight contender Sean “Tarzan” Strickland will fight at 205 pounds because of the short notice of the fight. While Tarzan has lost his last two fights, one judge scored his last contest a win (49-46), and he will look to get back to his winning ways. Before those two fights, Strickland had won six straight UFC contests.

Known for his stamina and toughness, Strickland is a well-experienced fighter with wins over highly-rated opponents like Jack Hermansson and Uriah Hall. An excellent boxer, Strickland will look to utilize this five-round contest to pick apart Imavov with a high-volume and relentless attack.

UFC Fight Night Betting Odds

According to MyBookie, Nassourdine Imavov enters this matchup as the -131 moneyline favorite as he looks to push his fight-winning streak to four against Sean Strickland. Strickland will be the +103 underdog as he looks to break a two-fight losing streak. The total rounds Over/Under for the

Free Betting Pick

Nassourdine Imavov comes into this matchup as the favorite, and he will have his biggest test yet in the UFC. Sean Strickland will push the pace of this fight as he is known to be an elite cardio specialist in the Octagon. Strickland excels as a boxer and pushes the pace and tempo to outlast opponents.

Imavov has never gone past three rounds in his career and will be at a major disadvantage against Strickland, who has seen his fights go the distance in four of his last five contests. Imavov is incredibly talented, and you can expect to see him utilize his size and strength on the mat against Strickland. Despite this, Strickland is in better shape, and he should have the advantage as he carries more experience than Imavov.