A pair of electric fights have officially been added to the UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia in February.
In the headlining match, former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya returns to action against the surging Nassourdine Imavov, while the co-main event features Michael “Venom” Page moving to middleweight for a showdown against the fast-rising star Shara “Bullet” Magomedov.
UFC CEO Dana White made the announcement via his social media channel on Saturday morning.
Adesanya, the No. 4 ranked 185-pound fighter in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, looks to right the ship after failing to reclaim his middleweight crown against current champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 in August. Prior to that loss, fans witnessed “Stylebender” drop his title in a shocking upset to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023.
With an impressive record that includes victories over Alex Pereira, Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, and Yoel Romero, Adesanya aims to add another top name to his win column.
Imavov, the No. 7 ranked middleweight, is looking to continue his winning ways after securing a hard-fought victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Paris in September. This win pushed him to three consecutive victories, which also includes wins over Jared Cannonier and Roman Dolidze.
Turning to the co-main event, Page brings his talents to 185 pounds to face Magomedov in a matchup between two elite strikers.
Previously ranked as the No. 13 fighter in the 170-pound division, Page had called out Magomedov during an interview with MMA Fighting.
In terms of recent competition, ‘Venom’ was last seen dropping a decision to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303 in June. This setback marked his first loss in the UFC after debuting with a dominant decision win over Kevin Holland in March.
On the other hand, Magomedov, a former Muay Thai and kickboxing champion, has yet to taste defeat in his professional career. Most recently, he delivered a thrilling double-spinning back fist knockout over Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 in October, marking his 12th victory by knockout and 15th overall.
The UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia is set to take place inside the ANB Arena on February 1 from Riyadh.
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