Nassourdine Imavov breaks into top five of UFC middleweight rankings after Jared Cannonier win

UFC middleweight Nassourdine Imavov has moved into the top five of the division’s rankings after his win over Jared Cannonier.

Last weekend, Nassourdine Imavov picked up arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated Jared Cannonier and although it was in controversial circumstances, the victory will stand. The fact that it was a finish, too, will undoubtedly serve as a big boost for him as he continues to climb the middleweight ranks.

RELATED: What’s next for Nassourdine Imavov and Jared Cannonier after UFC Louisville?

At this point in time, it’s not clear as to how far away he is from a possible title shot. Of course, there are some big hitters around him at 185 pounds, and he’ll likely need at least one more emphatic win in order to vault into the championship conversation.

As per UFC.com, it’s been confirmed that his win has now lifted him into the top five of the division’s rankings.

https://twitter.com/LaSueur_off/status/1800432833045176622

Imavov climbs middleweight rankings

C – Dricus du Plessis
1 – Sean Strickland
2 – Israel Adesanya
3 – Robert Whittaker
4 – Nassourdine Imavov (+3)
5 – Jared Cannonier (-1)
6 – Marvin Vettori (-1)
7 – Brendan Allen (-1)
8 – Paulo Costa
9 – Jack Hermansson
10 – Khamzat Chimaev
10 – Roman Dolidze (+1)
12 – Caio Borralho
13 – Michel Pereira
14 – Anthony Hernandez
15 – Chris Curtis

As of this writing, the rumor mill suggests that Israel Adesanya will get the next shot at Dricus du Plessis. Sean Strickland recently defeated Paulo Costa, whereas Robert Whittaker is set to take on Khamzat Chimaev in a matter of weeks. For Imavov, it’s a waiting game, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go after a rematch with Strickland at some point in the near future.

Do you believe that Nassourdine Imavov deserves to be in the top five in the middleweight rankings? What do you think should be next for him, and will he ever fight for the belt? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!