Nassourdine Imavov achieved a career-defining victory by defeating Israel Adesanya with a decisive knockout in the second round of the UFC Saudi Arabia main event, positioning himself as a top contender for the middleweight title.
Nassourdine Imavov just pulled off the biggest win of his career. He demolished Israel Adesanya in the second round of the UFC Saudi Arabia main event.
It was a shocking result! Imavov blasted Adesanya with a massive right hand, sending him crashing to the canvas. Then came a devastating uppercut—Adesanya went face down. The referee rushed in, stopping further damage.
Adesanya briefly complained about the stoppage, but it didn’t take long for him to realize Imavov got the job done. The end? Just 30 seconds into the second round.
“I feel so good,” Imavov exclaimed post-victory. “All week I said I was in perfect shape. Proved I’m the better striker. Now, fighting for the belt is the real bonus. Promised you a special surprise tonight—that was it.”
At first, Adesanya looked like a sniper from afar, firing off nasty lead jabs and blistering kicks. Meanwhile, Imavov kept trying to close the distance. Adesanya controlled the early pace, but Imavov’s well-timed combo cracked “The Last Stylebender,” snapping his head back.
The opening round? Pure vintage Adesanya. He kept Imavov at bay, setting up his combinations flawlessly.
But then, drama unfolded as Imavov charged forward at the start of round two. He unleashed a huge right hand that twisted Adesanya’s head and sent him down.
The uppercut nearly knocked Adesanya out cold! But Imavov kept punishing until referee Marc Goddard had no choice but to stop the fight.
This was Imavov’s moment to prove he belonged among elite middleweights. Adding Adesanya to his win column capped off a stunning performance on Saturday.
With Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland set to battle for the title at UFC 312, Imavov did everything to stake his claim as No. 1 contender with this emphatic win over Adesanya.
“No doubt I’m worth the belt,” declared Imavov. “Four victories in one year… results speak for themselves.”
As for Adesanya? He’s in uncharted territory after three straight losses. At 35, he’s not the youngest fighter anymore; only he knows what lies ahead after Saturday’s knockout loss.