Israel Adesanya shares training session sneak peek with two-word caption in response to Saudi Arabia fight announcement
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is gearing up for his next challenge as he prepares to face Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night on Feb. 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event marks Adesanya’s first non-title fight since 2019, following back-to-back losses in the division.
Adesanya recently offered fans a glimpse into his training routine by sharing a clip of his grappling session on social media, captioned:
"Tasty Drops"
Check out Israel Adesanya's post below:
'The Last Stylebender' has experienced a rare slump, losing his middleweight title to Sean Strickland in Sept. 2023 and later falling to Dricus du Plessis in another title fight.
Despite the setbacks, Adesanya remains a key figure in the division and is looking to re-establish his dominance.
Meanwhile, Imavov enters the bout on a three-fight win streak, with victories over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier, and Brendan Allen. Ranked No. 5 in the middleweight division, Imavov aims to secure a title shot with a win over the former champion.
This high-stakes matchup sets the stage for a pivotal moment in the middleweight landscape.
A look into the undercard of Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
While the main event features Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov, the undercard is also exciting, particularly in the co-main event, where undefeated Shara Magomedov faces kickboxing sensation Michael 'Venom' Page in a middleweight bout.
Magomedov, fighting out of Dagestan, has a perfect 15-0 record, including a spectacular double-spinning back fist knockout of Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308. 'Bullet' is ranked 14th in the middleweight division and is known for his striking prowess, having knocked out 12 opponents in his career.
Page, a decorated striker from London, will step up from welterweight to make his middleweight debut. Despite recently losing to Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision, Page is eager to prove himself at 185 pounds against a striker of Magomedov's caliber.
The lineup also includes a heavyweight matchup between Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik and a pivotal middleweight bout between Ikram Aliskerov and Andre Muniz.
Check out some of the other notable matchups:
- Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira
- Damir Hadzovic vs. Terrance McKinney
- Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Jordan Leavitt
- Lucas Alexander vs. Bogdan Grad
- Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli
- Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues
- Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
- Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen