At UFC Saudi Arabia, held on February 1, 2025, at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the headline bout between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov ended in a victory for Imavov. He won via technical knockout (TKO) in the second round, extending his winning streak to four straight fights.
This marked Adesanya’s third consecutive loss, following defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. The fight was intense, with Adesanya starting strong with effective leg kicks and agile movement. However, Imavov mounted a powerful counterattack, particularly landing a decisive right hand, which led the referee to step in and stop the fight.
After the bout, Adesanya expressed his intention to continue fighting and supporting his teammates, despite having previously considered retirement.
The event also attracted significant attention, with famous soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo attending the fight live.
With this victory, Imavov moves closer to a potential title shot, depending on the outcome of the upcoming fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland.
