If MMA fans weren’t sold on No. 5 contender Nassourdine Imavov (16-4, 1 NC MMA, 7-3, 1 NC UFC) going into the weekend, they should be sold on him and his status as a force to be reckoned with at 185 lbs now. On Saturday night, the UFC made its sophomore appearance in Saudi Arabia to kick off its February schedule for a UFC Fight Night on ESPN+.
At the top of the bill last night, Nassourdine Imavov met up with former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC). Saturday’s main event of the evening was Adesanya’s second appearance in the sport since surrendering the middleweight strap in September of 2023 during UFC 293 in Australia against Sean Strickland by way of unanimous decision after five rounds.
Going into the UFC Saudi Arabia main event of the evening versus Nassourdine Imavov, Israel Adesanya had dropped two fights in succession and was making the walk for his first nontitle main event since midway through 2018.
Israel Adesanya Wasn’t Worried About Nontitle Stakes vs. Nassourdine Imavov Going In
About a month or so before the fight, Israel Adesanya took to YouTube to discuss the fact that he wouldn’t have a title on the line against Nassourdine Imavov this past weekend.
“Someone said that to me yesterday and I was like ‘No, I still get paid,'” Adesanya mentioned in December. “I still get paid, I still have a referee. It’s two of us in there. There’s a crowd, so it’s not like in the (expletive deleted) Apex or something. It doesn’t feel any different. I think people are making it out to be something like that, how they would react to it. but they’re not in my shoes.”
Going into the weekend, Adesanya was the second-ranked contender in the weight class and had dropped two fights in succession. While “The Last Stylebender” had momentum on his side of the ledger in the early going, stuffing an effort at a Nassourdine Imavov takedown, the latter took control as the bout would go on.
Nassourdine Imavov Seizes Momentum in Round Two En Route to Finish
At the start of the second round of the scheduled five, momentum began to swing to Imavov’s column after scoring with a well-placed uppercut late in the opening period. While Adesanya landed a kick to his adversary’s leg, Imavov countered with a crisp punch to knock Adesanya down.
A flurry of ground and pound shots forced the referee to intervene, giving Nassourdine Imavov a well-deserved victory. Time of the knockout: 30 seconds into round two. In response to the finish, Israel Adesanya was left to slap his hands on the cage mat as a sign of frustration.
“One shot to kill a legend!”, exclaimed Laura Sanko during the telecast on Saturday. “That was unbelievable.” Sanko made history on the air this past weekend when she became the first female to serve as an analyst on an MMA show in Saudi Arabia.
Nassourdine Imavov’s win resulted in a pay bump to the tune of $50,000 (USD), securing the Performance of the Night Award in the process.
Without a Doubt! 💰@Imavov1 and @Bogdan_Grad both earned POTN!
[ #UFCSaudiArabia | @RiyadhSeason | #RiyadhSeason ] pic.twitter.com/xAlS6REuh8
— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2025
Could a Title Fight Loom Next For Imavov?
After securing the victory, his fourth in succession, Nassourdine Imavov used his time on the platform to advocate for a shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship.
“I think there’s no doubt I’m worth the belt,” Imavov began, through his translator. “I mean, four victories in one year, two [in the] top-five, two [in the] top-10, two finishes, the record speaks for itself.”
When you consider that one of those wins came against the man who once stood at the top of the mountain at 185, Nassourdine Imavov has proven himself most worthy to be in the conversation among the upper-echelon in the weight class.
Final Thoughts
It’ll only be a matter of time before the UFC books a Nassourdine Imavov fight for the UFC Middleweight Championship. Realistically speaking, this fight could happen as soon as his next contest should the promotion decide to order Imavov to scrap for the belt.