The UFC has finalized a fight between former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and the rising Nassourdine Imavov for early 2025.
Knockout Alerts reported a number of weeks ago that the bout was planned to headline the second UFC Fight Night event in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, 2025, at The Venue in Riyadh. That’s now been made official, with UFC CEO Dana White announcing the matchup in a social media video.
Israel Adesanya, once unbeaten with a 20-0 record and a dominant reign at middleweight, has faced a turbulent career path in recent years.
After his first career loss to Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259 in a bid for the light heavyweight title, the Nigerian-New Zealander defended the belt against Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier. He lost the championship to Alex Pereira at UFC 281, only to reclaim it one fight later with a spectacular KO victory over “Poatan” at UFC 287.
His momentum faltered again when Sean Strickland defeated him by decision at UFC 293, and he subsequently lost a chance to reclaim the title against Dricus Du Plessis by submission this past August. This upcoming fight could be a crucial step toward getting Adesanya back into title contention.
Nassourdine Imavov, currently holding a 15-4 record, has been building momentum with three consecutive victories, including two by decision. Most recently, he defeated Brendan Allen in a UFC Fight Night main event in Paris this past September.
A win over Adesanya would be the biggest of “The Sniper’s” career and could propel him into the middleweight title conversation.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia are as follows:
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov (middleweight main event)
Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page (middleweight co-main event)
Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz (middleweight)
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira (bantamweight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues (heavyweight)
Bogdan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander (featherweight)
Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Jordan Leavitt (lightweight)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (women’s flywight)
Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen (heavyweight)
Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli (featherweight)
Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadžović (lightweight)
This card promises to be a thrilling showcase of talent as the UFC continues its expansion into the Middle East.
UFC middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov is seemingly expecting a smooth sailing all the way to port championship down the line.
Imavov further advanced his ambitions of a title crowning this past weekend in Paris, where the Frenchman recorded a crucial victory in front of his home fans at the Accor Arena.
Tasked with defending his top-five spot opposite Brendan Allen, things got off to a difficult start for “The Sniper.” But after dropping round one, Imavov rallied to take frames two and three to secure the decision triumph in his own backyard.
Having now won three straight fights, all over names inside the top 10, Imavov has placed himself well in the championship picture and could be in line for a title eliminator next time out.
And be it in that bout or a future shot at the gold, the rising 29-year-old sees no opponent who can pose a real “danger” to his plans…
Imavov Confident Of Superiority Over Entire UFC Middleweight Roster
During his appearance at the post-fight press conference on Saturday night, Imavov reflected on his successful outing on home soil and looked ahead to his continued path toward the middleweight mountaintop.
When asked to pinpoint the biggest threat to his goals in the division, the confident Frenchman stated that he sees little challenge when it comes to sharing the cage with the top names at 185 pounds.
“There’s no danger in this division,” Imavov said. “I showed once again that I’m a very well-rounded fighter. I can fight striking, I can fight grappling, I can fight wrestling. I can do it all.”
For now, Imavov will have his eyes on some other big fights in the division. First comes Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev’s rescheduled clash in Abu Dhabi later this month, the winner of which could be next in line.
That would seemingly be behind Sean Strickland, who is expected to be granted his rematch against current champ Dricus Du Plessis, potentially by the end of this year.
Nassourdine Imavov is now tied for the 3rd most UFC middleweight wins since 2020 with seven 😮💨
It was not the best of nights for Brendan Allen at UFC Paris, coming up short against Nassourdine Imavov in a crucial co-main event clash of top middleweight contenders.
Allen appeared to be in complete control of the fight over the first five minutes, laying into Imavov and delivering most, if not all, of the activity in the first round. But the American seemed to fatigue from there.
That led to the Frenchman taking control, especially in the grappling realm. Imavov ultimately scored the judges’ nod on all three scorecards.
This fight did not do Allen any favors as he aims to finally capture a shot at the UFC middleweight championship. And current champ, Dricus Du Plessis — someone who Allen is not fond of — let him know it on social media after the performance.
Dricus Du Plessis, Brendan Allen Trade Barbs On Social Media After Allen’s Loss At UFC Paris
Allen was not going to let Du Plessis’ comments go unnoticed, giving him a response back. “All In” reiterated a past claim, stating that the South African has been avoiding him during his rise up the middleweight ranks.
Says the one been ducking me since getting in. We dont all get the easy route. Wasnt my night tonight……but ill still fuck you up
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the Accor Arena in Paris, France and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, ranked lightweights Renato Moicano (#11) and Benoît Saint Denis (#12) clashed. While in the co-main event, Nassourdine Imavov faced Brendan Allen in a middleweight matchup.
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Lightweight Main Event: Renato Moicano def. Benoît Saint Denis via TKO (doctor’s stoppage): R2, 5.00
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov def. Brendan Allen via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Featherweight: William Gomis def. Joanderson Brito via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Welterweight: Bryan Battle def. Kevin Jousset via TKO: R2, 3.47
Featherweight: Morgan Charriere def. Gabriel Miranda via KO: R2, 0.27
Lightweight: Farès Ziam def. Matt Frevola via KO: R3, 2.59
Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Ion Cuțelaba def. Ivan Erslan via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Light Heavyweight: Oumar Sy def. Da Woon Jung via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight: L’udovit Klein def. Roosevelt Roberts via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus def. Vince Morales via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
In the main event, Renato Moicano silenced the Paris crowd with a doctor’s stoppage TKO of Benoît Saint Denis. The doctor waved off the fight at the end of round two after Saint Denis was deemed not able to see out of his right eye.
The referee waves off the contest between Renato Moicano and Benoit Saint-Denis after Saint-Denis couldn't see out of his right eye. #UFCParispic.twitter.com/ncZZGN4gLo
A battle of middleweight contenders in the co-main event of UFC Paris saw Nassourdine Imavov come out on top over Brendan Allen.
Allen was in complete control of the fight in the first round, bringing virtually all of the activity. But in the second frame, the momentum shifted swiftly. Imavov won the grappling battle in that round, taking advantage of a tired “All In” and displaying strong shots from the top ground position.
The American’s striking seemed off in the second stanza, and that stretched into the third, with his French counterpart landing the better strikes and having control of the fight on the mat.
Imavov ultimately scored the judges’ nod on all three scorecards.
Nassourdine Imavov Keeps Momentum Alive With Decision Win Over Brendan Allen In Paris
The MW division is so backed up lol. DDP is champ but Strickland and Rob are deserving of a title shot and now even Imavov is right there and may deserve one too, along with Borralho and Chimaev being close. pic.twitter.com/0dCJjl4HdD
Imavov has now won three straight since his no contest with Chris Curtis at UFC 289. The Frenchman’s win streak has also seen him score a majority decision over Roman Dolidze and a controversial finish of Jared Cannonier.
Meanwhile, Allen’s seven-fight winning run was snapped in Paris, a streak that saw him earn victories over Curtis, Paul Craig, and Bruno Silva.
UFC Fight Night: Renato Moicano vs. Benoît Saint Denis takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
In a first, heavyweight standout Ciryl Gane won’t be topping the lineup. Instead, the Sept. 28 event sees Benoît Saint Denis as the main attraction for the French crowd as he does battle with Renato Moicano.
Nassourdine Imavov can also expect a good reception for the co-main event. The top-five middleweight contender will look to advance his title ambitions on home soil by ending the winning run of Brendan Allen.
Ahead of the event, 27 out of the 28 fighters successfully made weight, with Ailín Pérez’s 0.5-pound miss of the bantamweight limit marking the sole indiscretion on the scale.
Nevertheless, every fight is intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC Fight Night Paris ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 12 PM ET.
This weekend sees the Octagon in Paris, France for the third time. While the previous two UFC Fight Nights in the country’s capital have been headlined by Ciryl Gane, the Sept. 28 event presents the opportunity for another French standout to make a splash.
In the main event, exciting lightweights Benoît Saint Denis and Renato Moicano go to battle. Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as top-five middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov defends his spot opposite the in-form Brendan Allen.
UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis takes place on Saturday, September 28, at the Accor Arena in Paris, France. The main card begins at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
With that said, you can check out the full weigh-in results below!
Main Card:
Lightweight Main Event: Renato Moicano (156lbs) vs. Benoît Saint Denis (156lbs)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov (186lbs) vs. Brendan Allen (186lbs)
Featherweight: William Gomis (146kbs) vs. Joanderson Brito (146lbs)
Welterweight: Kevin Jousset (169lbs) vs. Bryan Battle (170lbs)
Featherweight: Morgan Charriere (146lbs) vs. Gabriel Miranda (146lbs)
Lightweight: Farès Ziam (156lbs) vs. Matt Frevola (156lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Ion Cuțelaba (205lbs) vs. Ivan Erslan (206lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Oumar Sy (205lbs) vs. Da Woon Jung (205lbs)
Lightweight: L’udovit Klein (155lbs) vs. Roosevelt Roberts (155lbs)
Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus (136lbs) vs. Vince Morales (135lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Ailín Pérez (136.5lbs)* vs. Dariya Zheleznykova (135lbs)
Flyweight: Daniel Barez (125lbs) vs. Victor Altamirano (126lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle (136lbs) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (135lbs)
Lightweight: Bolaji Oki (156lbs) vs. Chris Duncan (156lbs)
*Ailín Pérez missed the bantamweight limit by half-a-pound, forfeits 20 percent of her purse
Brendan Allen believes he, not Benoît Saint Denis, deserves the spotlight as the headliner of the UFC Paris fight card.
The UFC is making its much-anticipated return to the “City of Lights” this weekend at the Accord Arena in Paris, exactly one year after its last event, with a Fight Night event packed with French talent.
Allen On Saint Denis Headlining UFC Paris: ‘Just Put Him On The Card, People Will Still Come Watch’
During a recent interview with MMA Fightingo, Allen voiced his frustration over not being selected to headline UFC Paris.
“All In” admitted he felt a slight sense of disrespect, considering his fight is a potential title eliminator yet was relegated to the co-main event. He argued that the Moicano vs. “God of War” matchup should have taken the co-headliner spot, given that neither fighter holds a high ranking in the division.
“I feel like it’s a little disrespectful to me and not just to me, but to Imavov as well,” Allen said. “Our fight has potential title implications wrapped around it, whereas this is #11 and #14 [#12], I think, if I’m not mistaken. The two guys in the main event should be the co-main event under us.”
Allen went on to say that while Saint Denis is understandably popular in his home country, fans will show up regardless to support their fellow compatriot no matter his card position. However, the 28-year-old South Carolina native emphasized that both he and Imavov have global recognition
“I get it, Saint Denis is super famous here, but at the end of the day, people are going to come watch the fight no matter what, whether he’s on the co-main or the main [event]. Just put him on the card—people are still going to come watch. But when it comes to worldwide MMA and fans, everyone knows me and Imavov are the real main event. I just felt, being as we’re so close to a title, one of us is obviously going to move forward into that potential opportunity. That’s why I feel like we should have fought five rounds.”
Allen is heading into the fight with one of the longest win streaks in the UFC middleweight division. On the flip side, Imavov is coming off a controversial TKO win over Jared Cannonier.
Here’s how Allen feels about fighting in Paris against an opponent who might benefit a ton from being local…
From Judges To Rounds, Brendan Allen Lists Things in Nassourdine Imavov’s Favor Ahead Of UFC Paris
While talking to MMA Junkie recently, Allen opened up on Imavov not agreeing to a five-round fight with him. When asked whether it’s helpful to know that he was ready for a five-round fight while his opponent wasn’t, he laid down the more obvious advantages “The Sniper’ boasts as the local fighter.
“Not really. I can see that point but I don’t think so. Like, end of the day, he got his way, and it’s still in his favor in his hometown, in front of his people, with probably his judges, and everything else. So, it is what it is.”
Allen’s boldest claim was that the officials could favor Imavov if the fight goes to a decision. Before his latest split decision win against Chris Curtis, Allen submitted four opponents in a row and he might be looking to get another finish this weekend amidst the mistrust of judges.
Allen acknowledged that he isn’t aware of Imavov’s story but pointed out that the latter was born in Russia which is indeed true. The French middleweight hails from Dagestan but moved to France at an early age. He’s been training in Paris since 19, so it makes perfect sense for him to represent France.
“I haven’t fought on, obviously, like a crowd that’s probably going to be against me. Even though, I don’t know how they view Imavov. You know, I don’t know if they view him as a real Frenchman because obviously he’s got Russian blood I think. I don’t know his story so I don’t know exactly what he is or how they view him. But either way, they boo me, like whatever.”
However, the American middleweight couldn’t help but question if the local crowd would support Imavov as much because of his Dagestani roots. Regardless, he doesn’t seem too bothered by finally fighting in front of a crowd after headlining multiple cards in the UFC Apex.
Jared Cannonier recently conveyed that he bears no animosity toward referee Jason Herzog for the controversial stoppage of his fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Louisville.
Cannonier suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Imavov in June when Herzog stepped in to halt the fight as the former UFC middleweight title challenger attempted to defend himself against a relentless barrage of strikes from his opponent.
Although “The Killa Gorilla” appeared shaken before the stoppage, it didn’t seem that he was on the brink of being finished, as evidenced by his visible frustration and immediate protest of the referee’s decision.
Herzog, widely regarded as one of the most respected and experienced referees in MMA, faced intense scrutiny from the MMA community for what many deemed a premature stoppage. Even Cannonier, at the time, described the entire situation as “gut-wrenching.”
Cannonier on Herzog’s Judgment: ‘We All Make Mistakes’
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Cannonier opened up about his stoppage loss to Imavov. The 40-year-old Texan emphasized that Herzog wasn’t at fault, noting that the referee was simply fulfilling his duty and, in fact, spared him from taking further damage from his opponent.
“I’m not going to be salty like that. Herzog is a good referee,” Cannonier said. “I mean, he’s human; we all make mistakes or erroneous judgments, you know what I mean? To whatever degree we may perceive them to be, he was just doing his job in keeping me safe—or, you know what I’m saying, getting paid off to let the Frenchman win, I don’t know. But whatever the f**k, man. I didn’t go in there and knock out Imavov, so this is what I have to deal with.”
Cannonier further expressed that he wants to ensure such mistakes don’t occur again.
“I get the lessons from the unfortunate things that may have happened, like these stoppages and sh*t like that. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen again. Hopefully, these refs will give me an opportunity—if they see me on my feet, don’t stop the fight. You won’t see me on my feet getting battered like a speed bag making that sound or something like that.”
Cannonier’s loss was a tough setback, especially after his impressive back-to-back victories over Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland. A win would have positioned him as a prime contender for a second shot at the championship, but now he finds himself pushed further down the ranks in the contender lineup.
UFC middleweight contender Brendan Allen is not impressed by Nassourdine Imavov’s alleged decision not to share the cage over 25 minutes next month.
Allen will head to enemy territory to throw down with a fellow up-and-comer at 185 pounds in Imavov at the Paris-held UFC Fight Night on September 28. The pair will co-headline the event, much to the American’s frustration.
With five-round co-main events becoming more common, Allen says he pushed for that against “The Sniper,” but the Frenchman refused. Having had three of his last four outings scheduled for 25 minutes, the 28-year-old is not pleased about Imavov’s apparent reluctance to prepare for the longer distance…
Allen Tells Imavov: You Want To Fight For The Title? 5 Rounds Is How You Do It
During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Allen looked ahead to his second Octagon appearance of 2024, which comes a few months on from his memorable victory over Chris Curtis in their barnburner at the Apex.
That result added to “All In’s” five-round experience, and Imavov isn’t short on it himself having gone the 25-minute distance with both Sean Strickland and Roman Dolidze, as well as recently entering a fourth frame with Jared Cannonier prior to the TKO stoppage.
Despite that, though, Allen says the three-round stipulation for the Paris co-main event is entirely down to Imavov and his team, a decision he has a firm view on.
“Some people just need all the deck in their favor to try to win. But it’s not gonna be enough. I’m still gonna win,” Allen told MMA News. “I accepted the five rounds; I asked for the five rounds. I’ve heard the explanations but I still don’t agree or understand it. But it’s above my pay grade. I think it’s bullsh*t that 10 and 12 guys are main event over four and seven, where we have title contentions possibly surrounding our fight.
“I think it’s kind of a b*tch move that he (Imavov) doesn’t want to accept five rounds. Even as a co-main, he doesn’t want to accept five rounds,” Allen continued. “You wanna fight for the belt? You wanna stake your claim? Like, that’s how you do it. You go out there and win a five-round fight, even if it doesn’t go five rounds. … I don’t fully understand his reasoning, but I understand their logic. Some people just need all the cards in their favor as much as possible.”
Regardless, Allen will still be looking to deliver a standout performance in the French capital to stake his claim for a long-awaited first shot at title glory on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
Having already won seven straight, perhaps the addition of the #4-ranked contender to his ever-growing résumé is the piece of the puzzle Allen needs to secure his spot opposite the champion next time out.
The UFC has grown exponentially in the years since its inception way back in 1993. While the sport of MMA has come a long way since the days of groin strikes, headbutts and Tank Abbott, the demands placed on the global leader to satisfy an ever-growing audience in this social media-driven world has led to a swollen roster of contracted fighters.
The need to provide content to fulfil contractual obligations with TV networks has meant an increase in the overall number of events the UFC are pumping out these days. There are 53 shows scheduled to take place in 2024 alone, between pay-per-view events and ‘Fight Night’ cards, spread out over international locations such as Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Abu Dhabi, Australia and of course, the United States.
With many of these events taking place in the relatively low-key surroundings of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, some of these cards have become less about putting fans in seats and more about ticking off fights on some fighters’ contracts. The biggest names are being kept for the pay-per-views and the rest are being wheeled out with the sole purpose of filling in the gaps.
This Saturday’s Fight Night event (set to be headlined by a strawweight rematch between Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba) is another card loaded with fights lacking in jeopardy and unlikely to have any telling effect on the title picture in any of the UFC weight divisions.
With that in mind, let’s look at five of the more underwhelming main events the UFC have offered up so far in 2024.
Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov, UFC Fight Night, February 3 (UFC Apex)
The UFC’ had a somewhat slow start to 2024. January brought us an underwhelming Fight Night card followed by a PPV event in Canada that lacked star names outside of the main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. Coming into February, UFC fans were desperately in need of some high-stakes entertainment.
The Apex middleweight showdown between Dolidze and Imavov was not it. A main card entirely devoid of ranked fighters (outside of the main event) offered up one draw and four decisions, with only Randy Brown’s first-round knockout of Muslim Salikhov managing to give viewers something to get them out of their seats.
https://youtu.be/Z6OLxve-G2Q?si=qRqf4ZqaM6mSHNkG
Both main event fighters came into this event in stuttering form. Dolidze hadn’t been seen in competitive action since losing to Marvin Vettori eleven months earlier, while Imavov was coming off the back of a difficult 2023. A decision loss to Sean Strickland early in the year was followed by his summer bout with Chris Curtis being declared a “no contest” after an accidental clash of heads.
A majority decision victory for Nassourdine Imavov after twenty-five less-than-inspiring minutes followed. Both fighters picked up victories last month and seem to be rising through the ranks at 185lbs, but their clash at the Apex last February is not one that will live long in the memory of many UFC fans.
Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer, UFC Fight Night, February 10 (UFC Apex)
A week later, with UFC 298 on the horizon and the MMA news cycle being dominated by the build-up to Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria, fans were treated to another Apex event with a middleweight headliner. This time, admittedly, there was a little more intrigue surrounding the headline match-up as Joe Pyfer was coming off the back of an unbeaten start to his UFC career. “Bodybagz” had won all three of his fights inside the Octagon to that point, and finishes over Alen Amedovski, Gerald Meerschaert and Abdul Razak Alhassan had earmarked the 26-year-old as a fighter worth keeping an eye on.
Jack Hermansson looked like he was being positioned as the man to give up his place in the rankings to Pyfer. The Swede was returning from a year-long absence due to injury and had lost three of his previous five bouts at 185lbs. Against the odds, however, Hermansson derailed the Pyfer hype train and, after a strong opening two rounds from Pyfer, “The Joker” picked off his opponent from range over the remainder of the fight and walked away with a 48-47 scorecard from each of the three judges.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev, UFC Fight Night, March 2 (UFC Apex)
UFC 298 and the Fight Night that was held in Mexico City a week later gave fans a reminder of how good the atmosphere can be when big crowds and exciting fights are paired together. Ilia Topuria’s title victory in Anaheim, California followed by Brandon Royval’s win over Brandon Moreno the following week meant February had its’ fair share of entertainment inside the Octagon.
Fans were brought back down to earth with a bang on March 2nd however, as perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Jairzinho Rozenstruik was paired with Shamil Gaziev. Although Gaziev came into this event unbeaten at 12-0, the Bahraini fighter had only made one appearance inside the Octagon so far and many fans seemed perplexed at his positioning in the headline slot of a UFC event so soon.
Image: Jairzinho Rozenstruik IG
The gulf in class was evident as Gaziev was utterly dominated by “Bigi Boy” from the off. After four one-sided rounds, a bruised and battered Gaziev was deemed unfit to continue following an inspection by referee Marc Goddard. Not only did Gaziev pick up the first loss of his professional career, his positioning in the main event slot so soon after signing with the UFC drew plenty of criticism from fans and fighters alike.
Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura, UFC Fight Night, March 16 (UFC Apex)
Just two weeks later, in the wake of UFC 299, the “new normal” resumed in the UFC Apex as heavyweights Marcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa collided in the main event of an event that featured such names as Ange Loosa, Isaac Dulgarian and Brian Battle on the main card.
https://youtu.be/AAzOlhvQaNs?si=t5np0uJB0GkpTjjY
Tybura’s first-round submission victory would be his eighth win in ten fights helping the Polish fighter break into the top ten of the UFC’s heavyweight rankings. His opponent however was riding a three-fight losing streak coming into this bout and with the Australian taking significant damage in his defeats to Cyril Gane, Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich, the discussion among the MMA community in the wake of this defeat centred around whether or not “Bam Bam” should retire.
As it would turn out, Tybura made quick work of Tuivasa and the fight didn’t even see two minutes of action. Another underwhelming main event into the books, then.
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento, UFC Fight Night, May 11 (St. Louis)
April brought fight fans one of the most memorable fight cards in the history of the sport. UFC 300 was packed from top to bottom with current or former champions, and the knockouts delivered by Alex Pereira and Max Holloway during the main card will go down in history as two of the most exciting finishes inside the Octagon.
Lewis knocked out Nascimento in the main event but the fight failed to cause a ripple in the heavyweight rankings. “The Black Beast” had lost four of his previous six fights and is unlikely to enter the heavyweight title discussion anytime soon, while Nascimento had won three consecutive split-decision victories over unranked opponents prior to facing Lewis.
https://youtu.be/v5V07FuNqMw?si=CRsNMTozbW_T7h2r
It seems in the modern world of the UFC, for every title fight or number-one contender match-up fans are granted, they are doomed to sit through multiple filler events behind closed doors at the UFC Apex.
MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to the upcoming cards.
With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.
In recent days, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker – UFC 305 (August 17)
And for more detailed information on one newly booked fight that may have flown under your radar between July 8 and July 14, scroll down and check out this week’s UFC Matchmaking Bulletin spotlighted fight.
Nassourdine Imavov vs. Brendan Allen – UFC Paris (September 28)
Despite posting a social media video in which he refused to fight Nassourdine Imavov in the French capital if he wasn’t the main event, it appears Brendan Allen has agreed to a European trip for his next assignment.
Allen (24-5) has won seven straight since a knockout loss to Chris Curtis, the most recent of which saw him avenge that setback in an Apex main event this past March. “All In” also headlined in his two previous bouts at the Las Vegas facility, with the first coming as a same-day change following the cancellation or Ryan Spann vs. Nikita Krylov.
While he’s yet to headline inside an arena, and Benoît Saint Denis is regarded as the leading French fighter expected to feature on September 28 rather than Imavov (14-4, 1 NC), Allen still rejected the notion he should be anything but one half of the UFC Paris main event. For whatever reason, that stance has changed and the American will be heading to enemy territory, where he’s tasked with stalling the title ambitions of the #4-ranked Imavov, who has won two straight main events over Roman Dolidze and Jared Cannonier in 2024.
This middleweight matchup was first reported by FightMinds.
🚨Certains le pensaient absent de l'évènement mais il sera finalement notre co-main event !
Nassourdine Imavov à donc son combat contre Brendan Allen, classé #7 !
UFC middleweight contender Brendan Allen appears set to decline a trip to the French capital after being snubbed of the main event slot.
Allen, who currently occupies the #7 spot at 185 pounds, extended his winning run to seven in his first assignment of 2024, outpointing Chris Curtis in one of the year’s best fights to avenge his 2021 loss to “The Action Man.”
That result came in an Apex main event this past April, coming on the heels of two other main events at the low-capacity facility in Las Vegas.
And having had a taste of being on UFC Fight Night posters, Allen is now turning down high-profile matchups if he’s not headlining…
Allen Says No Main Event, No Deal For UFC Fight Night Paris
During a video recently uploaded to Instagram, Allen provided an update on his current status three months on from his latest triumph inside the Octagon.
“All In” revealed that he has been offered a top five opponent in the form of Nassourdine Imavov, with the promotion looking to have the pair do battle at the UFC Fight Night scheduled for Paris, France, this September.
Allen, however, believes he has more of a right to top spot on the lineup.
“This is for everyone that’s asking me what’s up, when am I fighting?” Allen said. “Two weeks ago, they said Imavov in Paris. I said yes. I said I want to be main event because I’ve main evented three in a row, won all three. I’m going into enemy territory, so if we’re going to do it for all the risk, all the gain, let’s go. Main event.
“Next thing you know, we see (Saint Denis) and Moicano are the main event. I ain’t f*cking going all the way to Paris for these two dudes to go over me. One dude is coming off a loss, the other one barely wins, bro. Nah, I’m not with it,” Allen continued. “So Imavov, if you want to fight, you want this work, whatever you want to call it, come on over to America, we’ll get it done. There’s no way we should be below these guys. I know it’s the Ultimate Followers Championship, but even though they got the followers, just put them on the card, people are going to come anyway.”
🚨| Brendan Allen says he was offered Nassourdine Imavov at #UFCParis two weeks ago.
He says he would only accept if he was the main event because he’s won his last three main events.
Now that Renato Moicano vs. Benoit Saint-Denis is the main event he says he will only fight… pic.twitter.com/JflIr7vsoR
This marks consecutive years in which Allen has rejected main events against high-ranked opponents.
“All In” turned down a headliner against Roman Dolidze last September because he wanted a higher-ranked name. While the Georgian was #7 at the time, Allen went on to face the #13-ranked Craig.
This occasion has seen Allen refuse a showdown with the current #4-ranked contender at 185 pounds.
It remains to be seen who the Californian will share the cage with next, and whether his decision to turn down a top five opponent will stall his planned surge to the title.
Middleweight fight between Kelvin Gastelum (@KelvinGastelum) and Nassourdine Imavov (@imavov1) has been added to UFC 273 on April 9, per sources. Big one for Kelvin, and a chance for Imavov to crack the Top 10. pic.twitter.com/RVCxnYr60X
Defeats to Darren Till, Jack Hermansson, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier since UFC 236 have left Gastelum with a 1-5 record in his last six Octagon outings. His sole victory in that period came against the unranked Ian Heinisch last February.
Imavov, meanwhile, is going in the opposite direction on the middleweight ladder. Whilst his upcoming opponent has slipped to #10 in the rankings, the Dagestan-born French fighter has risen into the top 15 thanks to back-to-back wins against Heinisch and Edmen Shahbzayan.
Against “The Golden Boy” at UFC 268 last November, the “Russian Sniper” established himself as a contender with a brutal TKO from the crucifix position.
WHAT. A. BATTLE. ⚔️
🇫🇷 Nassourdine Imavov showing up and showing out tonight!
On April 9, Gastelum will be looking to return the win column and begin his ascent back to the top. Despite his veteran status in the promotion, the Californian is still only 30 and has plenty of time to resurrect his ambitions in the UFC.
For Imavov, who is five years Gastelum’s younger, this matchup represents the chance for him to break into the middleweight top 10 and take a big step further towards title contention, something the MMA Factory product will hope to welcome in with open arms at UFC 273.
Listed below are the fights expected to take place at UFC 273:
Alexander Volkanovski (C) vs. The Korean Zombie (featherweight title fight)
Aljamain Sterling (C) vs. Petr Yan (IC) (bantamweight unification title fight)
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov (middleweight)
Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres (women’s strawweight)
Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott (welterweight)
Irene Aldana vs. Aspen Ladd (women’s bantamweight)
Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker (featherweight)
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 273, Kelvin Gastelum or Nassourdine Imavov?
