Israel Adesanya could possibly be the primary domino to fall in a middleweight shakeup.
The 2-time UFC champion places his spot within the contender line up for grabs Saturday at UFC Saudi Arabia when he takes on Nassourdine Imavov in the primary occasion. Adesanya and Imavov are trending in reverse instructions, with “The Final Stylebender” having misplaced three of his previous 4 fights and Imavov coming into Riyadh on a three-fight win streak.
Ought to Imavov win, it may sign a sea change at 185 kilos, with division champion Dricus du Plessis defending his title subsequent weekend towards Sean Strickland, and top-ranked middleweights Anthony Hernandez, Brendan Allen, and Jared Cannonier additionally in motion this February.
Add within the stakes of the co-main occasion between undefeated Shara Magomedov and Michael Web page, and nobody needs to be shocked if the middleweight rankings are unrecognizable six months from now.
What: UFC Saudi Arabia
The place: anb Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
When: Saturday, Feb. 1. The six-fight early preliminary card begins at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN+, adopted by a five-fight predominant card at 12 p.m. ET additionally on ESPN+.
(Numbers in parentheses point out standing within the MMA Combating World Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings)
Israel Adesanya (4) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (7)
I’m most likely simply being late to the occasion as ordinary, however I really feel just like the experiences of Israel Adesanya’s demise have been vastly exaggerated.
Don’t get me incorrect, there are actual inquiries to be requested about his present hunch. Adesanya is in his fifteenth yr of preventing and turns 36 in July, so a bodily decline is inevitable. His losses to Dricus du Plessis, Sean Strickland, and Alex Pereira weren’t flukes as all three uncovered potential weaknesses in Adesanya’s as soon as impenetrable aura. And it’s potential that in spite of everything he’s completed, his drive isn’t what it was.
However dig into the sport tape and also you’ll recall Izzy was forward on the playing cards in his first combat towards Pereira earlier than succumbing to a late flurry and up on one choose’s card towards du Plessis earlier than being submitted. We’re additionally not far faraway from Adesanya straight-up smoking Pereira, the boogeyman of the UFC. There’s nonetheless an awesome fighter in there.
He has to indicate he can nonetheless ship in a 25-minute combat, as a result of Nassourdine Imavov has all of the motivation on this planet heading into the most important combat of his profession. Imavov’s hanging has been on level throughout his win streak and youth is on his facet. It will be a real assertion victory if Imavov outlasted Adesanya over 5 rounds.
I nonetheless see Adesanya being too fast and unpredictable for Imavov. Except Adesanya has actually misplaced his potential to tug the set off, he’ll management the motion early earlier than discovering a end within the third or fourth spherical.
Choose: Adesanya
Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Web page
I’ve been skeptical of “Shara Bullet” being an actual contender, however similar to everybody else who noticed his double spinning backfist knockout of Armen Petrosyan, I’m beginning to flip round (heh heh heh heh).
Props to My Finest Buddy Mike Heck for having a hand on this matchup after Magomedov responded to Michael Web page calling for a combat. An actual life On to the Subsequent One second if there ever was one. However severely, this can be a sensible matchup for each guys, with Magomedov trying so as to add a notable title to his hit checklist and Web page making a stress-free leap as much as 185 kilos. It’s probably a one-shot deal, however taking Magomedov’s 0 would give Web page loads of choices again at welterweight, too.
This pairing has chess match written throughout it, as each fighters are recognized for his or her slick footwork, timing, and countering. Don’t count on both to bum-rush the opposite within the opening 5 minutes, fairly we needs to be handled to an entertaining tactical battle that can open up if it will get to the second and third rounds.
This seems like a entice sport for Magomedov, doesn’t it? He’ll be the heavier fighter, however not the longer one as he’s giving up six inches of attain to “Venom.” And since that is prone to happen totally on the ft, that distinction offers Web page the same old benefit he has in these sorts of matchups. In the identical vein as Stephen Thompson, Web page is a puzzle within the standup, and Magomedov and his staff higher have the precise sport plan to unravel it or this could possibly be a humbling defeat.
Magomedov continues to be rising as a fighter and I like what I’ve seen of his growth throughout his UFC run, even when the outcomes haven’t at all times been compelling. I’m choosing him to proceed on his upward trajectory with a choice win over Web page.
Choose: Magomedov
Sergei Pavlovich (7) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12)
Sergei Pavlovich didn’t look proper in his most up-to-date combat towards Alexander Volkov. Possibly the muddled feud between the previous coaching companions threw him off, or possibly it was Volkov’s lengthy and lanky body, or possibly Pavlovich simply acquired caught up within the Volkov renaissance. Whatever the cause, Pavlovich wants a win right here to remind us why he was as soon as tapped to combat Tom Aspinall for an interim title.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik has the technical expertise to frustrate the hulking Pavlovich, however we’ll see how lengthy he can wait to start out letting his arms go along with Pavlovich pressuring him. When Rozenstruik outpointed Tai Tuivasa at UFC 305 (a transparent resolution win in everybody’s eyes aside from mystified choose Howie Sales space), his footwork and technical mastery have been on full show. Let’s not overlook he has severe punching energy, too, having ended a number of of his UFC wins in seconds.
I’m simply getting a bizarre vibe right here and I really feel like Rozenstruik is overdue for a definitive knockout. He catches Pavlovich coming in early and scores the first-round end.
Choose: Rozenstruik
Mentioned Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira
You hate to cut back any fashionable UFC matchup to wrestler vs. striker, however this can be a wrestler vs. striker matchup if there ever was one. Certain, Mentioned Nurmagomedov has stable hanging fundamentals and might compete with Vinicius Oliveira in that division, however on the subject of sheer dynamism, it’s “Lok Canine” who has that in spades.
Nurmagomedov will seek for openings to take Oliveira down from the second the bell rings, however he’ll discover the athletic Brazilian tough to catch. Each time Nurmagomedov closes the gap to grapple or geese in for a shot, he’ll probably be exposing himself to a spectacular counter strike from Oliveira. Ultimately, he’ll dip his head into the incorrect angle on the incorrect time, and that’s when Oliveira will make magic occur.
Give me Oliveira by knockout in Spherical 2 after a aggressive opening body.
Choose: Oliveira
Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis
We open the primary card with a dip into the light-weight shark tank. Fares Ziam and Mike Davis are each absolute killers who’re nonetheless not less than two or three wins away from a rating within the loaded 155-pound division. Whoever wins Saturday may set themselves up for an enormous 2025 marketing campaign.
For Davis, that prediction comes with an asterisk, as the primary factor hindering him from having a quantity subsequent to his title is inactivity. Numerous maladies have saved Davis out of the octagon as UFC Saudi Arabia marks simply his third combat since 2019. Everybody is aware of Davis has the products, however can he keep wholesome? And may he preserve tempo with a division consistently churning out elite fighters?
Ziam shall be barely extra inclined to strike, whereas Davis will goal to combine the martial arts to interrupt the Frenchman’s rhythm. If Davis continues to strategically rating takedowns, it can stop Ziam from getting his thrilling hanging sport going. In shut, Davis can pepper Ziam with brief pictures and put on him down. At vary, Ziam is awfully harmful, and one good learn away from taking Davis’ head off.
This can be a pretty matchup and it’s a disgrace one man has to see a four-fight win streak snapped, however I like Davis by resolution right here.
Choose: Davis
Preliminaries
Muhammad Naimov def. Kaan Ofli
Shamil Gaziev def. Thomas Petersen
Terrance McKinney def. Damir Hadzovic
Mayra Bueno Silva (7, WBW) def. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Bogdan Grad def. Lucas Alexander
Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Jamal Pogues
