Israel Adesanya’s upcoming UFC Saudi Arabia headliner features ten undercard fights, showcasing an exciting mix of stylistic matchups and ranked contenders. It’s a rare occasion for the former UFC middleweight champion to headline a UFC Fight Night card. As he prepares for his main event against Nassourdine Imavov, Adesanya’s first Fight Night appearance delivers a pay-per-view quality undercard.
The highly anticipated matchup between Adesanya and Imavov will take place on February 1st in Riyadh. This event marks the promotion’s return to Saudi Arabia after hosting a UFC Fight Night event in June, which featured a middleweight headliner between Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov.
In addition to the main event, Adesanya aims to rebound after suffering back-to-back title fight defeats. While his clash with the rising star Imavov is set to draw significant attention, the undercard also boasts impressive bouts, including a middleweight co-main event featuring Shara Magomedov versus Michael ‘Venom’ Page.
Several ranked fighters are slated to compete at UFC Saudi Arabia, including Sergei Pavlovich, Shamil Gaziev, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, adding even more talent to this compelling card.
After the UFC unveiled the full bout list for the event, fans erupted with excitement on social media, expressing their enthusiasm for what promises to be a spectacular fight night. Comments ranged from “This is a banging card,” to “Pretty phenomenal lineup for a fight night card!” highlighting the high expectations surrounding the event.
UFC Saudi Arabia is just one of several premier events scheduled in the kingdom for 2025. Following the UFC’s return, Riyadh will host a highly anticipated boxing match featuring a light heavyweight title rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, further solidifying its status as a destination for major combat sports.
Adesanya’s upcoming fight against Imavov is crucial as he seeks redemption following his loss to Dricus du Plessis. This setting creates a ‘must-win’ scenario for Adesanya to keep his title aspirations alive as he approaches his late 30s.
Earlier this year, Adesanya faced Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305, losing by submission in the fourth round, marking the first time he had been submitted in his professional MMA career. Before that, he suffered a shocking defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, which ended his second middleweight title reign after regaining the belt against Alex Pereira at UFC 287.
Imavov will enter this fight having achieved significant momentum, boasting recent victories over Jared Cannonier, Roman Dolidze, and Brendan Allen. He remains unbeaten in his last four fights since a light heavyweight loss to Strickland, positioning him for this pivotal matchup with Adesanya.
The bout between Adesanya and Imavov is poised to be one of the marquee early fights in 2025, featuring a lineup that could elevate this event to all-time great status in Saudi Arabia.
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