Israel Adesanya shared a heartwarming run-in with Nassourdine Imavov following the UFC Saudi Arabia main event.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya extended the longest losing streak of his MMA career at UFC Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Despite his latest setback, he showcased a brilliant example of sportsmanship backstage when he crossed paths with Nassourdine Imavov after their fight.
Adesanya got off to a strong start against Imavov in Round 1, battering Imavov with kicks and timely boxing. But in Round 2, Adesanya got caught with a massive punch from Imavov that dropped him, before Imavov sealed the deal with brutal ground-and-pound.
Imavov earned the biggest win of his career at UFC Saudi Arabia and is at the top of the middleweight title conversation. Meanwhile, Adesanya’s first non-title fight since 2018 didn’t go according to plan.
It was a textbook case of a young, hungry contender surpassing the decorated veteran as Imavov defeated Adesanya this weekend. Adesanya knows Imavov’s position very well after a memorable run to the UFC middleweight title earlier in his career.
Adesanya made sure to give Imavov his due props shortly after their headlining bout.
Israel Adesanya finds Nassourdine Imavov backstage after UFC Saudi Arabia
As Imavov was transitioning from post-fight media availability, medicals, and other post-event scheduling, Adesanya made sure to encourage his opponent after their Octagon affair. In the below clip shared by MMA journalist Chamatkar Sandhu, Adesanya and Imavov came face-to-face one more time in Riyadh.
Imavov is in line for a potential No. 1 contender fight, at worst, following his career-best win at UFC Saudi Arabia. Khamzat Chimaev is likely in line for the next title shot against the Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 winner.
Before defeating Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia, Imavov earned impressive wins over the likes of Roman Dolidze, Brendan Allen, and Jared Cannonier. The French star is unbeaten through his last five fights since a light heavyweight defeat to Strickland in Jan. 2023.
During his three-fight losing skid, Adesanya has kept it classy with his opponents despite suffering from the agony of defeat. Adesanya and du Plessis shared a classy moment after a heated buildup to their UFC 305 title fight.
Israel Adesanya non-committal on UFC future after third consecutive loss
After another disappointing setback, Adesanya appeared torn on retirement following UFC Saudi Arabia. UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping said Adesanya’s best fighting days are behind him after witnessing his performance against Imavov.
Adesanya is inarguably one of the most decorated middleweights in UFC history. His five middleweight title defenses are among the most in the division’s history and gave Anderson Silva’s record a scare.
While Adesanya’s fighting future remains uncertain, his greatness can’t be questioned. His post-fight sportsmanship is a good example for many up-and-coming fighters to live by.
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