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Tag: UFC Saudi Arabia

  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik Released By UFC Following Gun-Shy Performance In Saudi Arabia

    Jairzinho Rozenstruik Released By UFC Following Gun-Shy Performance In Saudi Arabia

    Heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik’s display in the Middle East this past weekend was enough to signal the end of his UFC journey.

    Rozenstruik featured on the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, sharing the Octagon with a fellow power-puncher in Sergei Pavlovich. While that left many predicting a knockout one way or the other, fans inside Riyadh’s anb Arena instead witnessed three rounds of lackluster action.

    The Russian ultimately had his hand raised after getting the nod on all three scorecards, but neither man has been exempt from criticism in the aftermath.

    For “Bigi Boy,” the bout marked his latest gun-shy performance. The Surinamese behemoth has produced plenty of highlights inside the Octagon, knocking out the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Alistair Overeem, and Chris Daukaus. But he’s also frequently been criticized for a perceived safe approach in other outings.

    And the UFC evidently shares the frustration of the fanbase.

    Just days on from the Feb. 1 event in Saudi Arabia, Rozenstruik has been released from his contract. After the @UFCRosterWatch account on X first flagged his removal from the roster, MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin confirmed the release.

    Rozenstruik departs having gone 9-6 under the UFC banner. The 36-year-old featured in six main events and collected three Performance of the Night bonuses.

    It remains to be seen what will come next for “Bigi Boy,” but fans are already speculating about a potential move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in the coming weeks and months.

  • UFC Middleweight Shuts Down Future Bout With Shara Magomedov After MVP Loss: ‘Don’t Want To Fight A Bad Fighter!’

    UFC Middleweight Shuts Down Future Bout With Shara Magomedov After MVP Loss: ‘Don’t Want To Fight A Bad Fighter!’

    Shara Magomedov’s stock has seemingly taken a considerable hit courtesy of his first professional defeat in mixed martial arts this past weekend.

    After a perfect 4-0 start to life on MMA’s biggest stage and a spinning backfist knockout last October that was among the best finishes of 2024, Magomedov hoped to continue that momentum into his first assignment of 2025.

    “Bullet” co-headlined this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia against welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page. The Dagestani was unable to find success on the feet against the unique game of “MVP,” ultimately falling to a convincing decision defeat.

    In the aftermath, Magomedov put the result down to a “nightmarish health condition” that he claimed put the bout at risk during the lead-up to the event in Riyadh on Feb. 1. But that hasn’t prevented a sizable hit to his reputation. And that includes among fellow fighters.

    After the Full Violence account on Instagram pitched Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira as a potential next fight for “Bullet,” the Brazilian quickly appeared in the comments to shut that down.

    Michel Pereira

    “(thumbs down) I don’t want to fight a bad fighter!”

    Pereira himself is also booked for his first outing of the new year. Following a crushing defeat to Anthony Hernandez last October, “Demolidor” is set to return against Abus Magomedov at the UFC Fight Night in Kansas City on April 26.

  • Nassourdine Imavov Clear On What Awaits Him After ‘Cleaning Out’ UFC Middleweight Division: ‘Next Is The Belt’

    Nassourdine Imavov Clear On What Awaits Him After ‘Cleaning Out’ UFC Middleweight Division: ‘Next Is The Belt’

    UFC middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov has no doubt that a first championship opportunity should be in his immediate future following Saturday’s result.

    Imavov emerged as the biggest winner from the MMA leader’s second visit to Saudi Arabia. The Frenchman headlined the UFC Fight Night card opposite his most prominent opponent to date, former two-time champion Israel Adesanya.

    While “The Last Stylebender” started well in his pursuit of a first win since 2023 and a rebound result after consecutive losses, Imavov turned the tables with one clean right hand seconds into round two. The shot, which badly wobbled Adesanya, ultimately set up the TKO finish.

    With the win, “The Sniper” has now won four straight since a no contest against Chris Curtis. He still has five names inside the middleweight top 10 to add to his record’s win column, but the Frenchman believes he’s now ‘cleaned out’ the weight class.

    Imavov shared that claim during his post-fight press conference in Riyadh, during which he also made it clear what he’s expecting to come as a result of Saturday’s main event knockout.

    “I cleaned (out) the weight class in one year,” Imavov said. “Four fights, two wins against top-10 competition, two (finishes) against top-five competition. Next is the belt.”

    In addition to Adesanya, Imavov has defeated Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze in recent times.

    He’ll now pay close attention to next weekend’s UFC 312 headliner between middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. While he intends to face the winner, “The Sniper” could have stiff competition for the next shot given the way Khamzat Chimaev dispatched Robert Whittaker last October.

  • Tom Aspinall Reacts To Lackluster Pavlovich vs. Rozenstruik: ‘These Heavyweight Fights Absolutely Stink!’

    Tom Aspinall Reacts To Lackluster Pavlovich vs. Rozenstruik: ‘These Heavyweight Fights Absolutely Stink!’

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall was among those unimpressed by Sergei Pavlovich’s decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik this past Saturday.

    Two of the division’s biggest power punchers collided on the main card of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, which marked the mixed martial arts leader’s second visit to Saudi Arabia.

    While the crowd inside the anb Arena anticipated a knockout, they were instead treated to three rounds of lackluster action between the Russian and Surinamese behemoths, with the former emerging victorious on the scorecards.

    Many fans were quick to express their discontent with the two fighters, and they weren’t the only ones bemused by how the bout unfolded.

    Aspinall took to his Instagram Stories to slam his former opponent and “Bigi Boy,” before calling for his return in order to bring “excitement” back to the weight class.

    Tom Aspinall

    “These heavyweight fights lately absolutely stink,” Aspinall wrote. “Let’s get some excitement back and stop holding it up.”

    Aspinall has held the interim belt since a first-round knockout triumph over Pavlovich in November 2023. He’s since defended it in a rematch with Curtis Blaydes, which he also won by way of stoppage in the opening frame.

    All the while, Jon Jones has sat on the heavyweight throne and repeatedly dismissed a unification showdown, instead choosing to face Stipe Miocic last November in New York City.

    Dana White has insisted that he intends on booking Jones vs. Aspinall in 2025, but it remains to be seen whether or not that will come to fruition. In his most recent remarks, the UFC CEO admitted the promotion could “move on” from the matchup.

  • Michael Bisping Says ‘Israel Adesanya’s Time At The Top Is Done’ After UFC Saudi Arabia Defeat

    Michael Bisping Says ‘Israel Adesanya’s Time At The Top Is Done’ After UFC Saudi Arabia Defeat

    Israel Adesanya aimed to get his career back on track in his latest fight but suffered his third consecutive loss after a brutal knockout at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov in the UFC Saudi Arabia main event.

    The former two-time UFC middleweight champion fell to the rising French contender following previous losses to reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis and ex-titleholder Sean Strickland.

    Another former middleweight champ in Michael Bisping acknowledged Adesanya’s achievements in the aftermath but expressed doubts about his ability to reclaim the title.

    “The biggest takeaway is that it’s over,” Bisping said on the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight show (h/t MMA Fighting). “Israel Adesanya’s reign as champion, I don’t think will come again. I say that with the greatest of respect, and I truly mean that. An original. An incredible fighter. A legend of the sport. A future Hall of Famer. But his time at the top is done.”

    Bisping pointed to the cumulative toll of years of fighting and training as a major factor in his decline. 

    “A long career at the highest level brings a lot of wear and tear, not just from fights but from training camps,” Bisping explained. “The training camps are worse than the fights. A fight might last a few rounds, and we’ve seen Adesanya dominate opponents with leg kicks and precise striking. But that’s not how training works. You don’t improve unless you’re pushed — getting taken down, wrestling, dealing with ground and pound, getting choked out.

    “You tweak ankles, take punches, and endure constant physical strain. When you train at the highest level, it takes its toll. Yes, he’s absorbed some tough shots in the octagon, including tonight, but it’s the years of preparation leading up to this that become the real challenge.”

    Adesanya outlined his intention to take some time away from the sport before deciding his next step.

  • Michael Page Open To Going One Further After Middleweight Win At UFC Saudi Arabia: ‘Fight Someone Like Jiří…’

    Michael Page Open To Going One Further After Middleweight Win At UFC Saudi Arabia: ‘Fight Someone Like Jiří…’

    UFC welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page doesn’t think his ability to compete with the best stops at 185 pounds following a successful venture up to middleweight this past Saturday.

    After a defeat to Ian Garry last summer stalled his charge up the 170-pound ladder, Page chose to open his year with a one-off assignment up a division.

    The charismatic Londoner co-headlined the promotion’s second UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, where he was tasked with taking the 0 of undefeated Dagestani Shara Magomedov.

    As he did on debut at the expense of Kevin Holland 10 months ago, “MVP” showed his striking prowess, outpointing “Bullet” with his technical and unique standup arsenal across three rounds inside Riyadh’s anb Arena.

    Moving forward, Page is planning to revive his charge toward the top in the welterweight division, though he is open to similar exciting matchups at middleweight down the line.

    In fact, it would seem that a light heavyweight outing isn’t off the table.

    “I’m the kind of person that would move up another weight division and fight someone like Jiří (Procházka) because it’s an exciting fight,” Page said during his post-fight press conference. “Like two tornadoes clashing. So yeah, like I said from the beginning, I wanna make a lot of noise.

    “I haven’t got the highlight I wanted just yet,” Page continued. “But if I can keep get getting some exciting matchups, then why not?”

    Procházka was recently in action at UFC 311, where he put himself back in the title conversation with an emphatic performance and stoppage against a fellow former champion in Jamahal Hill.

    Interestingly, the Czech star previously pondered a move down to the middleweight class after a second loss to current light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira.

    “BJP” recently addressed that possibility again, leaving the door open to a future at 185 pounds should he first reclaim the 205-pound gold.

  • Francis Ngannou Sends Supportive Message To Israel Adesanya After Third Straight Loss At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Francis Ngannou Sends Supportive Message To Israel Adesanya After Third Straight Loss At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has told friend Israel Adesanya to keep his chin up following another setback inside the cage this past Saturday.

    After back-to-back losses at the hands of Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, Adesanya returned to non-title, non-pay-per-view competition on Feb. 1.

    The ex-middleweight kingpin headlined the UFC’s second visit to Saudi Arabia, where he was tasked with stalling the rise of Nassourdine Imavov to avoid the first three-fight skid of his career.

    “The Last Stylebender” ultimately failed in that regard, with his strong opening round being rendered null and void by a thunderous right hand from the Frenchman seconds into the second frame, which soon led to a TKO stoppage inside anb Arena.

    Though understandably frustrated with another defeat, Adesanya didn’t appear too disheartened when reacting to the knockout soon after. And he’s also not short on supporters sending encouraging words, including a prominent one in the form of Ngannou.

    “Unforgiving sport. Champ one day, champ forever,” Ngannou wrote on X. “@stylebender, we love you, man, and will always stand by your side.

    “Congrats to @imavov1 for his amazing performance.”

    Ngannou and Adesanya once ruled over their respective divisions in the UFC at the same time, forming a close bond as two of three reigning African champions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Alongside the third, Kamaru Usman, “The Last Stylebender” walked out behind Ngannou for the Cameroonian’s memorable boxing debut opposite former WBC champion Tyson Fury back in October 2023.

  • Shara Magomedov Puts UFC Saudi Arabia Loss Down To ‘Nightmarish Health Condition’ He Fought Through

    Shara Magomedov Puts UFC Saudi Arabia Loss Down To ‘Nightmarish Health Condition’ He Fought Through

    UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov has claimed to have competed in Saudi Arabia in spite of an injury.

    Things didn’t go to plan for Magomedov in Riyadh this weekend, with the one-eyed Dagestani falling to his first professional and UFC loss at the mixed martial arts leader’s second event in Saudi Arabia.

    After a 4-0 start to life in the Octagon, Magomedov’s 0 was taken by welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page, whose one-off move up to 185 pounds proved to be a success as he pieced “Bullet” up on the feet across three rounds.

    Magomedov took to Instagram a few hours on to post his first statement, during which he revealed that the fight was actually in doubt during the lead-up due to a “nightmarish health condition” he was suffering from.

    “The pirate sails into the harbor, but I will return!

    “I knew all the risks when stepping in with such a nightmarish health condition and preparation. I felt that despite everything, I could still win—but it didn’t work out, and that’s it.

    “Thank you to the @ufc organization for this opportunity and to everyone involved. I wanted to put on a show and meet expectations without canceling the fight.

    “Thank you to everyone who stands by me in any situation! Alhamdulillah.”

    With the hype behind his name somewhat dented by “MVP” in the Middle East, Magomedov will likely look to return to 100 percent physical condition before making his return to the Octagon, where he’ll be tasked with avoiding the first losing skid of his MMA career.

    Prior to the setback against Page, the Dagestani had opened his UFC account with victories over Bruno Silva, Antonio Trócoli, Michał Oleksiejczuk and Armen Petrosyan.

  • Khabib, Makhachev, & Other Fighters React As Nassourdine Imavov Knocks Out Israel Adesanya At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Khabib, Makhachev, & Other Fighters React As Nassourdine Imavov Knocks Out Israel Adesanya At UFC Saudi Arabia

    In the biggest fight of his life, Nassourdine Imavov has come through — and he’s called his shot for a crack at gold.

    Even in a fight where many were picking against him, Imavov performed in a big way, stunning the world with a second-round stoppage of former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    Adesanya took complete control of the opening round, showing flashes of his vintage self with the way he was striking and defending his French counterpart’s takedown.

    Imavov, however, massively turned things around just seconds into the second round. “The Sniper” rocked Adesanya with a right hand, putting him against the fence and to the ground. There, the 29-year-old dropped several seconds of harsh ground-and-pound until the fight was halted 30 seconds into the second round.

    Nassourdine Imavov Pulls Off Stunning Knockout Of Israel Adesanya At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Imavov is now unbeaten in his last five and has won four straight, previously defeating the likes of Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze.

    Adesanya, meanwhile, has now lost three straight. This was his first non-title fight since 2019, coming into this fight off back-to-back middleweight title fight losses against Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Nassourdine Imavov TKOs Israel Adesanya

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Nassourdine Imavov TKOs Israel Adesanya

    The latest UFC Fight Night took place Saturday in Saudi Arabia, and MMA News has you covered with all of the action!

    After a pay-per-view inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome  — and before focus turns to the UFC’s second numbered event of the year in Sydney, Australia — the MMA leader staged its sophomore event in Riyadh after arriving there last summer.

    Robert Whittaker took headlining honors for the UFC’s debut card in Saudi Arabia, and this time a familiar face of his made the walk last. Off the back of consecutive defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was back in non-title, non PPV competition.

    “The Last Stylebender” failed to avoid a third straight loss at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia, with rising Frenchman Nassourdine Imavov landing a thunderous knockout inside the anb Arena on Feb. 1.

    Before they shared the cage, welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page moved up for a one-off middleweight scrap with fellow striking specialist Shara Magomedov. The Brit returned to winning ways, taking the Dagestani’s 0 on the scorecards.

    Setting the stage for the headliners were a number of notable names, including heavyweight powerhouse Sergei Pavlovich, bantamweight entertainer Vinicius Oliveira, and ranked flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius.

    With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights.

    UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov def. Israel Adesanya via TKO (punches): R2, 0:30
    • Middleweight Co-Main Event: Michael Page def. Sharabutdin Magomedov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich def. Jairzinho Rozenstruik via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Bantamweight: Vinicius Oliveira def. Said Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: Farès Ziam def. Mike Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Featherweight: Muhammad Naimov def. Kaan Ofli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Heavyweight: Shamil Gaziev def. Thomas Petersen via KO (punch): R1, 3:12
    • Lightweight: Terrance McKinney def. Damir Hadžović via TKO (punches): R1, 2:01
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Featherweight: Bogdan Grad def. Lucas Alexander via TKO (punches): R2, 4:22
    • Heavyweight: Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Jamal Pogues via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)

    Hamdy Abdelwahab Def. Jamal Pogues

    Bogdan Grad Def. Lucas Alexander

    Jasmine Jasudavicius Def. Mayra Bueno Silva

    Terrance McKinney Def. Damir Hadžović

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885718234499887442

    Shamil Gaziev def. Thomas Petersen

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885724125890547964

    Muhammad Naimov Def. Kaan Ofli

    Farès Ziam Def. Mike Davis

    Vinicius Oliveira Def. Said Nurmagomedov

    Sergei Pavlovich Def. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

    Michael Page Def. Sharabutdin Magomedov

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885765147379081708

    Nassourdine Imavov Def. Israel Adesanya

    https://twitter.com/FIGHTZSS/status/1885775139666559246

  • ‘Fraud Checked’ – Fans React As Michael ‘Venom’ Page Takes Shara Magomedov’s 0 At UFC Saudi Arabia

    ‘Fraud Checked’ – Fans React As Michael ‘Venom’ Page Takes Shara Magomedov’s 0 At UFC Saudi Arabia

    The undefeated streak of Shara “Bullet” Magomedov is no more.

    Michael “Venom” Page came in with a strategy and puzzled Magomedov, going on to take a decision win in the co-main event of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    Both fighters brought out a tactical approach to the first round, being selective with their shots. While Magomedov had his moments, Page notably was able to land several countershots after utilizing his jabs and feints.

    “MVP” used his reach to his advantage in the second round, keeping his distance and preventing Magomedov from getting any momentum in his strikes. Even when “Bullet” did manage to close the distance, he was unable to take full advantage.

    Page continued this strategy in the third round, and while Magomedov had his moments there, it wasn’t enough. Page scored a unanimous decision win, earning 30-27s on two judges’ cards and one 29-28.

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Ends The Undefeated Record Of Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov

    https://twitter.com/NNNANOII/status/1885768520484483574
    https://twitter.com/poll_mma/status/1885768369414001052

    “MVP” is now 2-1 in the Octagon, rebounding from a loss to Ian Garry at UFC 303. The Bellator veteran made his UFC debut at UFC 299 last year, defeating Kevin Holland.

    Before tonight, Magomedov had scored victories over Bruno Silva, Antonio Trócoli, Michał Oleksiejczuk and Arman Petrosyan in the Octagon.

  • ‘Division Has Been Sh*t Since Ngannou Left’ – Fans React As Sergei Pavlovich Nets Lackluster Decision Over Jairzinho Rozenstruik At UFC Saudi Arabia

    ‘Division Has Been Sh*t Since Ngannou Left’ – Fans React As Sergei Pavlovich Nets Lackluster Decision Over Jairzinho Rozenstruik At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Early on at UFC Saudi Arabia, we witnessed what happens when there is a heavyweight highlight thanks to Shamil Gaziev’s first-round knockout of Thomas Petersen. Ranked contenders Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, however, provided the polar opposite of such an outing during the main card portion of the evening.

    Both fighters took a patient approach, with neither man looking to pull the trigger and go to the next level. While Pavlovich landed the bigger shots, he did not connect with anything that would wobble and trouble Rozenstruik.

    The former interim title challenger instead took “Bigi Boy” down, with his top control leading him to sweeping the judges’ scorecards.

    Sergei Pavlovich Scores Decision Win In Snoozefest At UFC Saudi Arabia

    https://twitter.com/NonGMHoee/status/1885760413251354846
    https://twitter.com/t_homie3/status/1885760544373674382

    This win bounces Pavlovich back from a pair of losses to current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov.

    Rozenstruik, meanwhile, is now 3-2 in his last five fights.

  • VIDEO: Shamil Gaziev Lands Devastating Walk-Off Knockout During UFC Saudi Arabia Prelims

    VIDEO: Shamil Gaziev Lands Devastating Walk-Off Knockout During UFC Saudi Arabia Prelims

    Heavyweight knockouts are a delight to MMA fans, and Shamil Gaziev pulled off such a highlight by getting a first-round finish of Thomas Petersen during the UFC Saudi Arabia prelims.

    Gaziev landed a right hand on the button three minutes into the bout, dropping Petersen. That was all that was needed, with the Bahraini behemoth walking off as the fight was called.

    Shamil Gaziev Lands One-Punch KO To Put Away Thomas Petersen At UFC Saudi Arabia

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885724125890547964?t=fqnHhzHnQCHznJutYpdUaQ&s=19

    Gaziev is now 3-1 in the Octagon since arriving by way pf Dana White’s Contender Series, with the sole loss coming against Jairzinho Rozenstruik early last year. He initially bounced back with a decision over Don’Tale Mayes before making it two wins on the bounce at Riyadh’s anb Arena.

    Petersen, another DWCS alum, is now 1-2 in the UFC. His one victory in the Octagon came at the expense of Mohammed Usman in 2024.

  • VIDEO: Terrance McKinney Records 15th First-Round Finish Of His Career At UFC Saudi Arabia

    VIDEO: Terrance McKinney Records 15th First-Round Finish Of His Career At UFC Saudi Arabia

    It was another first-round highlight from Terrance McKinney, as he got the job done quick against Damir Hadžović on the preliminary card of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    McKinney did damage right away with his powerful punches in the opening minute. “T. Wrecks” then grabbed the neck and brought the fight to the ground, looking for a choke.

    When that didn’t work, however, the American delivered vicious ground-and-pound until the fight was stopped just over three minutes into the opening frame.

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885718234499887442?t=nRk8Hc870J0LGTQnhrDObg&s=19

    McKinney has now won three of his last four now, allowing him to rebound from a knockout loss to Esteban Ribovics. The result in Riyadh also marked the 15th first-round finish of his career, with only one of his victories seeing a second stanza.

    Hadžović, meanwhile, has now lost four of his last five.

  • ‘Dark Horse In The Division’ – Fans React As Jasmine Jasudavicius Wins First UFC Women’s Fight In Saudi Arabia

    ‘Dark Horse In The Division’ – Fans React As Jasmine Jasudavicius Wins First UFC Women’s Fight In Saudi Arabia

    Jasmine Jasudavicius continues to come into her own, coming out on top in a historic bout against former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva on the preliminary card of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    The fight made promotional history in that it was the first women’s UFC bout to take place in the country.

    It was all-around domination from Jasudavicius, who completely outstruck Bueno Silva in the first round and turned a takedown into nearly three minutes of control time — despite having to shove off a submission attempt from “Sheetara.”

    Jasudavicius continued to outstrike Bueno Silva and scored another pair of takedown attempts over the next two rounds, combining for over four minutes more of control time, en route to sweeping the judges’ scorecards.

    Jasmine Jasudavicius Dominates Inaugural Women’s UFC Fight In Saudi Arabia

    Jasudavicius has now won four straight and six of her last seven, with her sole loss coming against Tracy Cortez at the original Noche UFC event.

    Bueno Silva, meanwhile, is 0-3 (1 NC) in her last four. That run includes three straight losses, beginning with her vacant bantamweight title fight loss to Raquel Pennington at UFC 297 early last year.

  • Ex-Fighter Says Israel Adesanya Has ‘Something To Prove’ At UFC Saudi Arabia After 2 Straight Losses

    Ex-Fighter Says Israel Adesanya Has ‘Something To Prove’ At UFC Saudi Arabia After 2 Straight Losses

    Israel Adesanya’s UFC journey has been filled with highs and lows, but his career is far from over — not just in his eyes, but also in the eyes of Matt Brown.

    Adesanya is coming off back-to-back losses, first dropping a decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 before suffering a submission defeat to Dricus Du Plessis last August in an attempt to reclaim the middleweight title.

    Now, he is set to face Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of the second UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. When he does, Brown believes the former champion has something to prove.

    “He’s still there,” Brown said on the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer. “I think him going back to feeling like he has something to prove again is going to pay a lot of dividends for him.”

    Brown sees Adesanya’s mindset as a key factor in his return and believes it signals what could happen on Saturday.

    “I think he just loves to compete,” Brown said. “Doesn’t really care who it’s against, and you’ve got to love that. Obviously, the UFC loves that. The fans love that. But what it tells me is that he has a good mentality of not letting other people’s opinions affect him [mentally].

    “That’s a gigantic thing, especially at the level where he’s at, where everybody’s in his ear. Everybody has an opinion on what he’s doing. He’s getting pulled left and right all the time, and to be able to block all that out and stay true to being a martial artist—that’s a powerful dude right there.”

  • UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading to Australia to stage its second pay-per-view of 2025 next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    The main event presents an opportunity for Israel Adesanya to return to winning ways following consecutive defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. To avoid a three-fight skid in his return to non-title bouts, the Nigerian-New Zealander must stall the rise of Nassourdine Imavov.

    Before that, welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page will move up for a one-off middleweight scrap with Shara Magomedov. With the in-form Dagestani showing his striking prowess since joining the UFC, Saturday’s co-main event promises to be an entertaining stand-up battle.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Sergei Pavlovich, Vinicius Oliveira, and Jasmine Jasudavicius will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov takes place on Saturday, February 1, at the anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT.

    Check out the full weigh-in results below.

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight: Israel Adesanya (185lbs) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (185lbs)
    • Middleweight: Sharabutdin Magomedov (185lbs) vs. Michael Page (185.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich (249lbs) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (252lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Said Nurmagomedov (135.5lbs) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135lbs)
    • Lightweight: Mike Davis (156lbs) vs. Farès Ziam (155.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Featherweight: Muhammad Naimov (145.5lbs) vs. Kaan Ofli (145lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Shamil Gaziev (260lbs) vs. Thomas Petersen (263lbs)
    • Lightweight: Damir Hadžović (155.5lbs) vs. Terrance McKinney (156lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius (125lbs) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (126lbs)
    • Featherweight: Lucas Alexander (148.5lbs)* vs. Bogdan Grad (145.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Hamdy Abdelwahab (260lbs) vs. Jamal Pogues (264lbs)

    *Lucas Alexander missed the featherweight limit by 2.5 pounds, forfeits 30 percent of his purse to Bogdan Grad

  • Shara Magomedov Reveals Encouragement From Cristiano Ronaldo During Meeting Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia

    Shara Magomedov Reveals Encouragement From Cristiano Ronaldo During Meeting Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia

    Shara Magomedov has received a tip of the hat from one of the biggest sporting stars in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo. The undefeated middleweight contender is back for his fifth appearance inside the Octagon this Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

    The 30-year old was always going to turn heads due to his look and fighting style but he has backed that up with his performances since joining the UFC in 2023. He’s recorded three consecutive bonuses in his recent outings and his matchup in Riyadh on February 1 promises to be another fan friendly watch as he takes on fellow striking specialist and former welterweight, Michael “Venom” Page.

    With the #14-ranking next to his name, Magomedov could seemingly find himself in the title picture if he is able to string together two more wins. His upcoming clash with “MVP” may not be the most difficult test for him stylistically, because both men prefer to keep the fight standing, but they have a track record for winning in style.

    Some of the biggest fights in combat sports have taken place in Riyadh in recent years and they always end up having a star-studded front row. Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has become a regular audience member and it looks like that will be the case for the Octagon’s return this weekend.

    A recent video posted by Ronaldo’s club showed the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star meeting up with “Bullet” where they got to briefly meet each other during fight week. In an interview with Michael Bisping, Magomedov revealed what was said between them as he was given the seal of approval from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

    “I met the whole team but with Ronaldo specifically, I spoke with him for about half an hour. He knows a whole bunch about the UFC, he’s a huge fan, he said he’s gonna be at the fight and he said that I have potential to be the champ.”

  • Israel Adesanya Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia: I Could Lose ‘My Next 10 Fights’ & My Legacy Wouldn’t Be Affected

    Israel Adesanya Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia: I Could Lose ‘My Next 10 Fights’ & My Legacy Wouldn’t Be Affected

    Regardless of the result this weekend — and in any future fight, for that matter — former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes his legacy in mixed martial arts is safe.

    Adesanya established himself as an all-time great at 185 pounds with a lengthy first title reign and an emphatic regaining of the gold against Alex Pereira to achieve two-time status.

    But the days of his dominance over the division appear to be behind him, with the Nigerian-New Zealander coming off consecutive defeats at the hands of Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.

    Looking to make it three losses on the bounce is Nassourdine Imavov, who is set to battle Adesanya in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. If the Frenchman achieves the feat, questions over “The Last Stylebender’s” future will no doubt arise.

    One thing that won’t be questioned, according to Adesanya, is his lasting legacy on MMA’s biggest stage.

    “I feel honestly, God forbid if I lose my next 10 fights, it wouldn’t affect my legacy,” Adesanya told reporters during media day in Riyadh. “I put pressure on myself. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes time, I will put pressure on myself. If [Imavov] doesn’t feel the pressure good on him, but he’ll find out.”

    It remains to be seen what the future holds for Adesanya and how many more battles he’s got left inside the Octagon.

    For now, his focus will be 100 percent on having his hand raised inside anb Arena and recording his first victory since April 2023.

  • Michael Bisping Describes ‘Likely’ Outcome Of Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Michael Bisping Describes ‘Likely’ Outcome Of Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Israel Adesanya has the backing of a fellow former UFC middleweight champion ahead of his return to action in the Middle East this weekend.

    Adesanya is set to headline the MMA leader’s second visit to Saudi Arabia, coming in the form of another UFC Fight Night card in Riyadh on Saturday.

    In his return to non-pay-per-view, non-championship assignments after consecutive defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, “The Last Stylebender” is tasked with stalling the charge of a rising up-and-comer in Nassourdine Imavov.

    While his opponent comes into the contest riding momentum from three straight wins, Adesanya plans on showing there’s life in the old dog yet. And former champ Michael Bisping, for one, expects him to do just that.

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Bisping explained why he’s picking the Nigerian-New Zealander to emerge victorious inside anb Arena on Feb. 1.

    “More than likely Israel Adesanya gets a decision,” Bisping said. “I think he uses the jab, I think he lowers his base, I think he’s probably pissed off and a little bit embarrassed. Israel Adesanya, when you’re the champion of the world, when you’re defending the belt so many times and you literally think your sh*t don’t stink and you can beat everybody, you do get a little bit embarrassed. Your pride takes a hit when you lose three out of the last four and you see the middleweight division moving along without you.

    “Over five rounds, I do believe Israel Adesanya wins via decision,” Bisping continued. “I think he maintains range, keeps his distance, moves around, uses all of the space inside the Octagon, and in Saudi Arabia, Israel Adesanya will be the winner.”

    “The Last Stylebender” will hope to prove Bisping’s assessment correct come fight night and taste the winning feeling for the first time since his memorable knockout of Alex Pereira to return to the middleweight throne in April 2023.

  • Michael ‘Venom’ Page: Shara Magomedov ‘Tailor-Made’ For Me To Get Early Knockout At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page: Shara Magomedov ‘Tailor-Made’ For Me To Get Early Knockout At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Michael “Venom” Page is confident of recording yet another violent stoppage in mixed martial arts, this time at the expense of undefeated Dagestani Shara Magomedov.

    Page’s first Octagon outing of 2025 will come in new surroundings, with the Londoner briefly departing his usual home of welterweight for a planned one-off battle opposite Magomedov at 185 pounds in Saudi Arabia this Saturday.

    While “MVP” still boasts aspirations of title glory at the lower weight, he’ll look to bounce back from a narrow decision loss to Ian Garry during International Fight Week last year before resuming his pursuit of gold at 170 pounds.

    And to do so, Page isn’t expecting to require the scorecards.

    During a recent interview with The Independent, “MVP” looked ahead to his impending showdown with “Bullet” in Riyadh and predicted that fans will witness the 15th knockout of his career.

    “Honestly speaking, I believe he’s tailor-made for me to get that (knockout) shot early,” he said. “By early, I just mean before the time is up. But he’s equally dangerous, to where if I make those mistakes, that could happen to me. You have to consider both sides. I just really believe in what I can do, and that my style fits perfectly against him.”

    Whichever way the fight goes, many MMA enthusiasts are expecting the result to come by way of a stoppage.

    While Page’s exploits are well known, Magomedov is far from a slouch in the KO department. 12 of the Russian’s 15 professional wins have come via knockout, including two in the UFC.

    “Bullet” most recently finished Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 last October with an innovative double spinning backfist.

  • Israel Adesanya Explains How ‘Talking’ To Ex-Rival Alex Pereira Has Helped Him Prepare For Nassourdine Imavov

    Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has been burying some hatchets in order to streamline all of his “negative energy” toward one individual — Nassourdine Imavov.

    Adesanya returns in the main event of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia, where his first assignment of the new year will come off the back of consecutive defeats in title fights to Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland.

    Ahead of his opportunity to rebound in the Middle East, the Nigerian-New Zealander notably trained with longtime rival and two-time opponent Robert Whittaker. The pair also filmed a preview video for UFC 311, proving that friendship can emerge from tense rivalries.

    And “The Reaper” seemingly isn’t the only former foe whom Adesanya has been conversing with.

    Since following their two-fight kickboxing series with a pair of MMA contests, Adesanya and Alex Pereira have shared a mutual respect for one another. And during an interview with Stake, the ex-champ revealed he’s spoken to “Poatan” in private as he looks to ensure that any and all negative energy that doesn’t focus on his opponent this weekend dissipates.

    “Making peace helps,” Adesanya said. “I’ve been talking a little bit with Alex Pereira (as well as Whittaker). I’ve learnt that whatever doesn’t serve me anymore I can’t hold onto. All the negative energy I have will go to Nassourdine Imavov.

    “I really can’t wait,” he continued. “I’m patiently waiting for the day for the cage door to close and then we can just get it on.”

    Adesanya will hope his newfound approach to dismissing past animosity makes a difference when he enters the cage in Riyadh this Saturday.

  • Israel Adesanya Reflects On Training With Robert Whittaker Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia Return

    Israel Adesanya Reflects On Training With Robert Whittaker Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia Return

    It’s rare and heartening to see fierce rivals put their animosities aside and unite, and that’s exactly what happened with Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

    Adesanya is set to square off against Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, to be held at the anb Arena in Riyadh. The upcoming Fight Night event marks a significant shift for the former UFC middleweight champion, as it will be his first non-pay-per-view appearance since July 2018.

    In preparation for his upcoming bout, “The Last Stylebender” had enlisted the help of his former two-time opponent, Whittaker, to refine his game ahead of the fight. Their collaboration went smoothly, as there was never any deep-seated animosity between the two, despite their history inside the Octagon.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Adesanya revealed that “The Reaper,” who is fresh off a first-round knockout loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308, felt the need to revamp his training approach. Initially, Whittaker reached out to City Kickboxing’s Eugene Bareman to gauge their openness to collaboration, and the team welcomed him with open arms.

    The Nigerian-born Kiwi found it a pleasant at the unexpected addition of Whittaker to the camp, noting how refreshing it was to join forces with a former rival rather than remaining adversaries.

    “Having a guy with his skill set, his experience, a new body, new energy at this stage of your career, it’s always nice,” Adesanya said. “Like he said as well, not many people can understand what we’ve done to get to the point that we had. I was really excited to have him pull up and just share energy with me with the whole team.”

    Adesanya went on to say that while preparing to face another skilled striker like Imavov, he found Whittaker’s contributions, even in the brief time he spent at the camp, to be incredibly valuable.

    “Of course, even if he didn’t train with me, having him around would have been beneficial to this camp. Because of the energy he brings… But training with him, hanging out with him, moving with him, definitely picked his brain and we just shared a few ideas, but I can’t wait because I’ll go over there and do the same thing and over the next few years, we’ll be linking up a few more times.”

    “The Last Stylebender” is experiencing the first two-fight losing streak of his career. The slide started with a unanimous decision defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, a bout in which he also lost his middleweight title.

    Adesanya’s downturn continued at UFC 305 last August, where reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis delivered a crushing submission victory.

  • Dan Hooker Clears Up Misconception Fans Have About Israel Adesanya

    Dan Hooker Clears Up Misconception Fans Have About Israel Adesanya

    New Zealand’s Dan Hooker has been a staple of the UFC roster ever since he made his debut back in 2014. The Octagon has been graced by some great and iconic fighters from Oceania and “The Hangman” was a big part of the new wave that would take MMA in the region to new heights entirely.

    One of those moments that is now looked back on as a pivotal moment in the history of the sport is when Hooker was joined on the roster by a fellow countryman of his and teammate at Auckland’s City Kickboxing. Israel Adesanya arrived in the UFC four years after his long-time gym mate and the two men have produced some incredible moments in front of both home and away crowds.

    They’ve been through a lot together and as someone that knows “The Last Stylebender” better than most, Hooker believes that there is a common misconception about their dynamic. Adesanya has been a superstar from his very first year in the promotion where he racked up four consecutive wins to climb to the top of the 185-pound division.

    As a result, there is a lot that is said or presumed about the former two-time middleweight champion who makes his return this weekend to face Nassourdine Imavov in his first non-title main event since 2019. Hooker recently spoke in an interview with Dom Harvey about the character of his teammate and why people get them the wrong way round.

    Hooker has shown on multiple occasions that he’s a kill or be killed fighter and whilst we have seen that from Adesanya in the past as well, “The Hangman” swears that you won’t find a better person outside of the cage.

    “Without a shadow of a doubt like goes back to the day we die. It’s not one of those friendships where you have to message each other every day…we go through like a lot of the the similar things obviously, I don’t tell the levels that he’s at like the levels of fame that he’s at is absolutely wild and we are very different people.

    “The funny part about it is people think he’s the bad one and I’m the nice one and I’m just like thinking, ‘what the heck?’. Israel’s like one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life. He is actually like a really nice heartfelt dude and I’m just not…Israel Like there’s no malice in it, it’s a competitive sport and he’s got no malicious intent like when he fights.”

  • UFC Saudi Arabia Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Adesanya vs. Imavov, Magomedov vs. Page, & More

    UFC Saudi Arabia Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Adesanya vs. Imavov, Magomedov vs. Page, & More

    UFC Saudi Arabia is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming event takes place Saturday, February 1, at the anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 2 PM ET/9 AM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Following consecutive losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, he will look to get back to winning ways by stalling Nassourdine Imavov’s rise.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event between Shara Magomedov and Michael “Venom” Page promises to be an entertaining striking affair. And also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Sergei Pavlovich, Said Nurmagomedov, and Shamil Gaziev.

    UFC Saudi Arabia: Adesanya vs. Imavov Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Saudi Arabia (as of 1/27), courtesy of DraftKings.

    • Israel Adesanya (-166) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (+140)
    • Sharabutdin Magomedov (-185) vs. Michael Page (+154)
    • Sergei Pavlovich (-305) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (+245)
    • Said Nurmagomedov (-198) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (+164)
    • Muhammad Naimov (-258) vs. Kaan Ofli (+210)
    • Shamil Gaziev (-380) vs. Thomas Petersen (+300)
    • Damir Hadzovic (+285) vs. Terrance McKinney (-360)
    • Mike Davis (-135) vs. Fares Ziam (+114)
    • Hamdy Abdelwahab (-112) vs. Jamal Pogues (-108)
    • Jasmine Jasudavicius (-225) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (+185)
    • Lucas Alexander (+100) vs. Bogdan Grad (-120)
    • Abdul-Kerim Al-Selwady (+142) vs. Bolaji Oki (-170)