Nassourdine Imavov

Nassourdine Imavov, known to fans as "The Sniper," is a French professional mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division of the UFC.

Born in Khasavyurt, Dagestan, in the Russian Federation, Imavov comes from a Kumyk family and relocated with his family to Salon-de-Provence in southern France at the age of nine. It was there that he first discovered combat sports, starting with boxing before shifting his focus to mixed martial arts. As a teenager he moved to Paris, where he began training at MMA Factory under coach Fernand Lopez, a gym that has produced multiple UFC competitors.

Imavov turned professional in 2016 and built his early record on the regional French and European circuit before signing with the UFC and making his organizational debut in October 2020. In late 2023 he shifted his training base to Venum Training Camp in Paris, working under head coach Nicolas Ott.

Standing 6 feet 3 inches with a notable reach advantage over most middleweights, Imavov fights as a rangy, technical striker. His game is built around sharp footwork, timing and a high-volume boxing attack punctuated by feints and combinations, and he supplements his striking with clinch control and credible grappling and submission skills that keep opponents honest at every range.

Among the signature victories of his UFC tenure, Imavov stopped former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya by second-round TKO, a performance that earned a Performance of the Night bonus. He has also recorded finishes and decision wins over established middleweight competition including Jared Cannonier, Edmen Shahbazyan and Joaquin Buckley.

Imavov’s story bridges two worlds: a Caucasus upbringing rooted in Dagestan’s Kumyk community and a fighting education forged in the boxing gyms of southern France. Rather than following the wrestling-centric path common to many fighters from his native region, he built his career around European boxing fundamentals, giving him a striking-first identity distinct from that of his Dagestani peers. That dual heritage, paired with his adopted homeland’s colors, has made him one of the more distinctive figures to emerge from France’s growing MMA scene.