- Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov headline the UFC Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1 inside anb Arena in Riyadh.
- Adesanya has lost back-to-back fights, while Imavov currently rides a three-fight win streak.
- Adesanya is the -180 betting favorite, and Imavov is the +150 betting underdog.
Ranked UFC middleweight contenders will headline the UFC Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, as former UFC middleweight champion and current No. 2-ranked contender Israel Adesanya faces the No. 5-ranked challenger Nassourdine Imavov inside anb Arena in Riyadh.
Despite heading into the match having lost his last two fights, Adesanya remains the betting favorite with -180 UFC odds, while Imavov, who rides a three-fight win streak, will be the +150 betting underdog at BetMGM’s sportsbook.
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Odds
- Israel Adesanya: -180
- Nassourdine Imavov: +150
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov: Prediction
I predict that Adesanya will walk away with the unanimous decision victory because he’s a more dynamic and complete striker than Imavov. He also has a better resume and experience of competing in high-profile bouts.
Adesanya’s kickboxing background has helped him become a more refined striker. Although Imavov has the lead in almost all of the statistical categories in the striking department, “The Last Stylebender” is still an efficient and accurate fighter.
The former UFC middleweight champion will also have a longer reach (5 inches longer) and leg reach (2.5 inches longer) in this upcoming match, and he’s well-known for maximizing this advantage against his opponents by piecing them up with several combinations.
On the other hand, Imavov may be a better grappler, with four of his career victories coming via submissions, but these victories were before his campaign under the UFC. Since his octagon debut, he has been more of a striker.
I expect that Imavov will try to impose his ground game against Adesanya, but Adesanya’s 76% takedown defense should be enough to stop these attempts. Once they exchange on the feet, Adesanya can work to display his superior striking skills.
As much as fans want to believe that Adesanya is now washed at 35, I still think he’s a level higher than Imavov. But don’t count out Imavov because a powerful punch landed by him can completely change the complexity of the match.
Riyadh, we are BACK 👊
It's #UFCSaudiArabia Fight Week!!#RiyadhSeason | @RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/mPks36tiQb
— UFC (@ufc) January 27, 2025
Israel Adesanya Recent Fight Results
Adesanya was a former professional kickboxer before he signed with the UFC in 2018. He made his octagon debut against Rob Wilkinson and scored a second-round finish for a successful first promotional match.
Since then, he won his next 11 middleweight fights to become the undisputed king of the weight class and defended his belt five times before crossing paths with his longtime rival Alex Pereira in 2022.
They fought in an exciting back-and-forth title match, but Adesanya received a tough fifth-round TKO loss. He avenged that defeat from Pereira with a second-round knockout win in April 2023 before losing the championship again to Sean Strickland in September 2023.
Last August, Adesanya returned to action when he challenged Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight gold at UFC 305. However, the South African MMA star defeated him in the fourth round via submission.
No one quite does it like Izzy with the celebrations 🕺@Stylebender returns to the Octagon at #UFCSaudiArabia!
[ @RiyadhSeason | #RiyadhSeason ] pic.twitter.com/5JkvjNRhBr
— UFC (@ufc) January 27, 2025
Nassourdine Imavov Recent Fight Results
Before being part of the UFC roster, Imavov was a force in the European MMA circuit with an impressive pro record of eight wins and two losses. He made his octagon debut in October 2020 against Jordan Williams with a unanimous decision win.
After that successful first match, the French MMA star won six of his nine bouts and only dropped two. The other fight ended in a no contest. Imavov currently rides a three-fight win streak with victories over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier, and Brendan Allen.
He wants to outstrike everybody! 😮💨@Imavov1 is one half of the #UFCSaudiArabia main event this weekend!
[ @RiyadhSeason | #RiyadhSeason | SAT Noon ET ] pic.twitter.com/nzvbdxBzgD
— UFC (@ufc) January 27, 2025
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov: Tale of the Tape
| Israel Adesanya | Nassourdine Imavov | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 35 | 29 |
| Height | 6’4” | 6’3” |
| Reach | 80 inches | 75 inches |
| Leg Reach | 44.5 inches | 42 inches |
| Record | 24-4 | 15-4 |
| Fighting Style | Kickboxing | Striker |
| Finishing Rate | 67% | 67% |
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Fight Card
- Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov, middleweight fight
- Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page, middleweight fight
- Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozensruik, heavyweight fight
- Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira, bantamweight fight
- Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz, middleweight fight
- Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli, featherweight fight
- Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen, heavyweight fight
- Bolaji Oki vs. Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, lightweight fight
- Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadzovic, lightweight fight
- Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis, lightweight fight
- Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, women’s flyweight bout
- Bodgan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander, featherweight fight
- Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues, heavyweight fight
