Adesanya expresses his motive for desiring a battle against Chimaev, citing reasons for the matchup.
Israel Adesanya, previous twice UFC middleweight titleholder, is lined up to battle Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, there's another combatant grabbing Adesanya's focus, following that contender's triumph over another past UFC middleweight champ earlier this year.
According to Adesanya, he shared praise for the highly-ranked and unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev on his YouTube channel.
"Khamzat? Nah, I knew they were going for this (Du Plessis vs. Strickland) event since I was aware of it. They'd already organized it," Adesanya stated. "So, I wasn't like, 'What?' But I was surprised by the way Khamzat outclassed Rob. That was insane, that was like, 'Wow.' It made me want to face him. I was like, 'Alright, (expletive). This guy's genuinely fantastic.'"
Chimaev (14-0) holds the No. 3 spot in the official UFC middleweight rankings. He squared off against ex-UFC 185-pound champion Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 308. Chimaev marked the first person to submit Whittaker under the UFC banner in that bout, concluding it in the first round with a fierce viselike neck squeeze that left Whittaker in need of post-fight dental treatment.
Adesanya (24-4) currently ranks as the No. 2 fighter in the UFC’s 185-pound division. He has endured the initial two-bout losing streak of his MMA career. The 35-year-old saw his second reign as UFC middleweight champion conclude in September 2023, following a one-sided verdict in favor of Sean Strickland. That bout marked Adesanya as the betting favorite.
Adesanya had the chance to become a three-time UFC titleholder in August 2024, but failed in that pursuit. He suffered defeat by rear-naked choke in the fourth round of his matchup against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. This loss represented the initial defeat by submission in Adesanya’s career.
Imavov (15-4-0-1) ranks fifth in the UFC middleweight division, set to square off against Adesanya in the UFC Saudi Arabia main event. Imavov has ridden a four-match unbeaten streak. His latest victory came in the form of a unanimous verdict against Brendan Allen in September.
Imavov's most recent defeat came at the hands of Sean Strickland in January 2023, via unanimous decision.
The UFC Saudi Arabia event takes place on February 1, 20XX at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The broadcast streams on ESPN+, with prelims starting at 9 a.m. ET and the main card at 12 noon ET.
The upcoming UFC middleweight title contest is set for February 8, 20XX, from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The match witnesses Du Plessis defending his title against Strickland in a rematch.
The first encounter between Du Plessis and Strickland occurred in January 2024, serving as the UFC 297 main event. Du Plessis secured a divided decision in this contest, which didn't sit well with Strickland. Since that bout, Du Plessis (22-2) triumphed over Adesanya, while Strickland (29-6) earned a divided decision triumph against Paulo Costa in June.
The Du Plessis vs. Strickland rematch tops the UFC 312 card, which is the second pay-per-view event on the UFC’s 2025 schedule.
- Nassourdine Imavov, currently ranked fifth in the UFC middleweight division, has been matched against former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya for the UFC Saudi Arabia main event.
- Khamzat Chimaev, previously unbeaten and currently ranked third in the UFC middleweight rankings, successfully submitted former UFC 185-pound champion Robert Whittaker in a viselike neck squeeze, leaving Whittaker in need of post-fight dental treatment.
- Sean Strickland, who defeated Imavov via unanimous decision earlier this year, will face Dricus Du Plessis in a rematch for the UFC middleweight title at the upcoming UFC 312 event.
