Israel Adesanya is set to fight Nassourdine Imavov in February and is eyeing Khamzat Chimaev as a future opponent, while expressing no concern over not headlining a pay-per-view event, focusing instead on personal goals like achieving a submission victory.
Israel Adesanya has his next fight lined up against Nassourdine Imavov in February. Yet, he’s got his eyes on Khamzat Chimaev for a future showdown. Intriguing, right?
Chimaev wasn’t really on Adesanya’s radar until he saw him dismantle Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. That October night was intense! Chimaev executed an early takedown and locked in a face crank/rear-naked choke that literally broke some of Whittaker’s teeth. Ouch.
“I was surprised at the way Khamzat ran through Rob,” Adesanya shared on his YouTube channel. “That was crazy. That was like wow.” It sparked something in him. “I was like OK, shit, this guy’s actually really, really good.”
Post-Whittaker victory, Chimaev became the No. 1 contender at 185 pounds. But guess what? He’s not getting the next title shot. Instead, former champ Sean Strickland is heading to Australia in February to face Dricus du Plessis again. A rematch after their January 2024 clash.
Adesanya had a hunch the UFC would go with du Plessis vs. Strickland. “I knew they were going to go with this fight because I knew it was coming,” he said. “They already organized it so I wasn’t like, ‘What?’”
As for Adesanya himself, he’s looking to rebound from two straight losses—a first in his career—after falling to du Plessis and Strickland consecutively. His return at the Feb. 1 UFC Fight Night card in Saudi Arabia marks another milestone.
It’s the first time since 2018 that Adesanya isn’t headlining a pay-per-view event. Some might see it as a snub, but not Adesanya. Nope, he’s unfazed by this booking.
“I still get paid,” Adesanya stated plainly. “There’s still a referee. There’s two of us in there.” Doesn’t bother him one bit that it’s not a PPV event.
The upcoming bout is also Adesanya’s first non-title fight since becoming an interim UFC champion back in 2019. Over the past five years, he’s become one of the UFC’s biggest stars with title bouts across two divisions.
Now, Adesanya is embracing each fight as a new challenge to showcase his skills and add more accolades to his résumé. He even has a specific goal beyond reclaiming his title.
“Because I can,” he said about why he continues fighting. “And I’m really, really good at it.” He’s got dreams—some achieved, some yet to come—but there’s one thing he’s set on: getting a submission.
“I’m gonna definitely get a submission,” he declared confidently. “I don’t even care about the belt.” It’s all about snagging someone’s ankle or neck for him now.