Sean Strickland's decision to step into the first UFC main event of 2023 on short notice paid off.
The No. 7-ranked middleweight defeated Nassourdine Imavov via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Strickland, stepping up on five days' notice for an injured Kelvin Gastelum, became the 16th fighter in UFC history to win fights in three different weight classes, according to MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn. He also holds victories at middleweight and welterweight.
Strickland's jab led him to victory against Imavov, peppering the promising Frenchman with shots throughout the five-round affair. Imavov also landed his fair share of strikes, but Strickland stayed more active and used his pressure to control the fight's pace.
Imavov pushed for the finish late in the fifth round, but it wasn't enough to secure the judges' nod.
Strickland, who also headlined the final UFC main event of 2022 less than a month ago, returned to the win column after falling to current middleweight champion Alex Pereira by knockout and Jared Cannonier by split decision. This was Strickland's first victory since a split decision over Jack Hermansson last February.
Imavov came up short in the biggest test of his career so far. The promising Frenchman was riding a three-fight winning streak, which included a TKO finish of Edmen Shahbazyan, and hadn't lost since February 2021. Imavov is now 4-2 in the UFC.
