Nassourdine Imavov stunned Israel Adesanya with a second-round technical knockout in their UFC middleweight bout at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
The 28-year-old French fighter delivered a decisive performance against the Nigerian-New Zealander in their non-title contest, handing Adesanya his third consecutive UFC defeat.
The loss follows previous setbacks against Sean Strickland in 2023 and South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis in August 2024. It also marks Adesanya’s fifth overall defeat in the UFC.
Adesanya’s camp had claimed he was better prepared for the fight against Imavov than for his previous two outings. In the opening round, the former champion appeared sharper and more focused, showing little of his usual showmanship. He countered Imavov’s takedown attempts effectively and responded to a late first-round uppercut from the Frenchman with a swift right hook just before the buzzer.
In the second round, Adesanya seemed to be in control, keeping Imavov’s pressure at bay—until a decisive moment changed the fight’s course.
Imavov feinted with a jab, drawing Adesanya into an exposed position, before landing a powerful overhand right that sent him sprawling onto the canvas. The French fighter wasted no time, unleashing a series of punches on his downed opponent, prompting the referee to step in and stop the fight.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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