Israel Adesanya faces Nassourdine Imavov in a crucial middleweight clash tonight, as they meet in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia.
Adesanya, a former two-time champion, will try to halt a two-fight losing streak as he takes on the in-form Frenchman. The Nigerian-born New Zealander is in a must-win situation, having surrendered the title to Sean Strickland in a major upset in 2023, before failing to reclaim the gold from current champ Dricus Du Plessis.
Meanwhile, Imavov enters Riyadh on the back of three straight wins, having beaten Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen in a stellar 2024. Still, Adesanya marks Imavov’s toughest test yet, as the latter looks to reach title contention at the “Last Stylebender”’s expense.
And in tonight’s co-main event, Michael “Venom” Page faces Shara Magomedov, with the London welterweight moving up to 185lb. “MVP” will aim to bounce back from a loss to Ian Machado Garry and hand Magomedov his first professional loss.
Follow live updates and results from UFC Saudi Arabia, below.
UFC Saudi Arabia LIVE
- Israel Adesanya faces Nassourdine Imavov in must-win middleweight main event
- Former two-time champion Adesanya aims to snap two-fight losing streak
- Imavov enters Saudi Arabia event on back of three straight victories
- Middleweight co-main events pits Michael ‘Venom’ Page against Shara Magomedov
- London's Page moves up from welterweight in bid to hand Magomedov a first pro loss
Terrance McKinney vs Damir Hadzovic
15:56
,
Will Castle
Round one
McKinney starts by testing Hadzovic early, as he often does. He throws some big strikes but Hadzovic responds in toe.
Hadzovic then gets caught with some heavy shots before being taken down by McKinney, who has mount. The Bosnian feels the wrath of a couple sharp 12-to-6 elbows and concedes his back, leading to non-stop ground and pound from McKinney, which is enough for the referee to halt the fight!
Terrance McKinney def. Damir Hadzovic via first-round TKO (ground strikes, 2:01)
Quick business. Same old Terrance McKinney.
GETS IT DONE EARLY @TWrecks155 earns his SIXTH 1st Round stoppage at #UFCSaudiArabia!
— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2025
[ @RiyadhSeason | #RiyadhSeason ] pic.twitter.com/Nf9NNh2DNO
Terrance McKinney vs Damir Hadzovic
15:51
,
Will Castle
To the UFC’s deepest division and it’s an exciting lightweight bout as Terrance McKinney squares off against Damir Hadzovic.
McKinney is known for going big or going home, with seven wins in under a minute. He’s the biggest favourite on the card against the Bosnian Bomber.
This probably won’t need all three rounds.
Imavov looking to condemn Adesanya to scrap heap
15:47
,
Will Castle
On a three-fight tear, Nassourdine Imavov is getting a taste for the main event now; Saturday’s is his fourth in the UFC, with two of his previous three going down as wins.
Last time out, in September, the Frenchman soaked up home adulation as he ground out a decision win over Brendan Allen in Paris, shooting him to fifth in the middleweight rankings.
Far more in-form than Adesanya, Imavov is vying for title contention for the first time, and the 28-year-old will be desperate to add a divisional great to his resume.
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva
15:43
,
Will Castle
Round three
Bueno Silva gets a pretty brutal pep talk from her corner, knowing she needs a finish in the third to have any hope of a win. “This is for diapers for your kids,” her coach says.
The Brazilian needs to stay on her feet and connects with an elbow in the first 90 seconds. However, she then gets rocked by Jasudavicius and is easily brought to the ground.
It feels academic from this point. Jasudavicius has got Bueno Silva tied up and nearly gets the submission, but she’s content with top control. It goes to the scorecards.
Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
A dominant display over a former title challenger. Statement victory from Jasudavicius.
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva
15:34
,
Will Castle
Round two
Bueno Silva has a massive swelling above her left eye - given that her last fight ended by a forced doctor stoppage, she’ll hope this doesn’t get any worse.
She tries catching Jasudavicius with a standing guillotine, the American once again escapes.
Jasudavicius ends the round in a similar vein to the first - with top control, chipping away with the ground and pound.
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva
15:29
,
Will Castle
Round one
Jasudavicius throws an early low kick as the pair try to find their range. They then trade left hooks before Jasudavicius tries finding success with the one-twos.
The American then gets caught and is in a precarious position, with Bueno Silva looking to lock in the choke. However, she does really well to release the pressure and gains top control - this is her wheelhouse.
Grapples well to see out to round but needs to be aware of Bueno Silva’s submission attempts as the Brazilian looks for loose limbs to snatch.
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva
15:20
,
Will Castle
Women’s flyweight action up next as Jasmine Jasudavicius takes on Mayra Bueno Silva - the first ever women’s matchup on a UFC Saudi Arabia card.
The fighters are making their way out as the anb Arena slowly fills up.
Bogdan Grad vs Lucas Alexander
15:10
,
Will Castle
Round two
Grad secures the takedown and tries to get mount. Both scramble with Grad raining down the ground and pound. He nearly gets the back but Alexander escapes the submission attempt.
Grad then gets full mount and Alexander is in real trouble. A thumping elbow gets through and Grad is just landing shot after shot after shot. Alexander is being beaten up and is unable to fight back, leading the referee to step in!
Bogdan Grad def. Lucas Alexander via second-round TKO (ground strikes, 4:22)
An impressive debut win for Bogan Grad.
Bogdan Grad vs Lucas Alexander
15:03
,
Will Castle
Round one
Our second prelim is underway as Bogan Grad takes on Lucas Alexander at featherweight.
Grad forces the clinch early on and lands a nice elbow. However, Alexander gets distance and gets an knee through.
Grad gets on the defensive and manages to close the distance again. Ends the round married to the single-leg.
Adesanya not focused on title implications
15:00
,
Will Castle
With Israel Adesanya’s successes far outnumbering his failures, he is minded to focus on the rewards of a win over Imavov, not the prospect of a third straight loss – or never regaining the title.
“I’m not thinking like that,” Adesanya told MMA Fighting via Stake.com. “I’m just going in there ready to dominate. I’m not thinking, ‘I don’t want another loss.’
“That’s a weird way to frame it, because [I’d just be] thinking of what I don’t want. [If] you’re tapping into that, ‘Oh, I can’t lose, I can’t lose,’ your brain just recognizes ‘lose, lose, lose’.”
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs Jamal Pogues
14:48
,
Will Castle
Round three
Pogues looks to be enjoying the better third round here. Finds success shooting for the takedown and is also striking well.
Abdelwahab does boast control time but he’s not doing much damage. It’ll be interesting to see how the judges score this as we go the distance...
Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Jamal Pogues via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
Pogues’ jaw is on the floor hearing the decision. He can’t believe it. Abdelwahab remains undefeated.
Nothing like your first UFC victory! @HamdyAbdelwah wins by split decision to kick off #UFCSaudiArabia!
— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2025
[ @RiyadhSeason | #RiyadhSeason ] pic.twitter.com/Ifieu3sGZn
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs Jamal Pogues
14:39
,
Will Castle
Round two
Abdelwahab is finding success on the ground, appearing to get the better of Pogues - he’s using his Olympic wrestling calibre to his advantage.
Pogues still having joy with the jab and will hope an overhand connection late in the round will sway the judges.
Abdelwahab looks like he’s beginning to gas. Could be everything to play for in the last five minutes.
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs Jamal Pogues
14:31
,
Will Castle
Round one
We’re off. Abdelwahab is finding success landing a bunch of short punches to the side of the head of Pogues against the cage.
Abdelwahab is looking fast, but Pogues responds well with good jabs. Nevertheless, the Egyptian is probably up after the first round.
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs Jamal Pogues
14:24
,
Will Castle
The first fight of the evening is about to get underway - it’s Jamal Pogues taking on Egypt’s own Hamdy Abdelwahab at heavyweight.
Pogues has the opportunity to extinguish Abdelwahab’s zero, with the Egyptian 5-0 in his professional MMA career.
Pogues appears to be crying on his walkout - is it nerves, fear, or just getting overwhelmed by the moment?
How the prelims shape up
14:04
,
Will Castle
A quick reminder of what’s to come over the next three hours, ahead of the main card...
Muhammad Naimov vs Kaan Ofli (featherweight)
Shamil Gaziev vs Thomas Petersen (heavyweight)
Terrance McKinney vs Damir Hadzovic (lightweight)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva (women’s flyweight)
Bogdan Grad vs Lucas Alexander (featherweight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs Jamal Pogues (heavyweight)
UFC Saudi Arabia prelims are under way
13:59
,
Alex Pattle
Okay, the UFC Saudi Arabia prelims are upon us!
Over to Will Castle, who has you covered with live updates from every fight this afternoon and evening.
Enjoy...
Conor McGregor sparks feud with Irish PFL star Paul Hughes
13:58
,
Alex Pattle
Also this week, Conor McGregor hit out at fellow Irish MMA fighter Paul Hughes, after the latter seemingly distanced himself from the controversial former UFC champion.
After losing a disputed decision to PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov on Saturday, in a lightweight title fight in Dubai, Hughes spoke to his opponent’s cousin Khabib – a UFC icon and rival of McGregor.
“I’m not like this other guy, I’m my own man, I’m not like this other guy,” Hughes told Khabib, apparently referring to McGregor, who was submitted by the Russian to end a bitter feud in 2018.
McGregor, as you might expect, did not take kindly to Hughes’s comments. Here’s the full story, including the vulgar insults launched at Hughes by McGregor:
Bryce Mitchell’s comments on Hitler ‘beyond disgusting’, says Dana White
13:56
,
Jamie Braidwood
In other UFC news this week:
UFC president Dana White criticised fighter Bryce Mitchell for praising Adolf Hitler, among a slew of antisemitic, homophobic and transphobic comments, but said the organisation would not take disciplinary action against him.
Mitchell said Hitler was a “good guy” and denied the Holocaust during the first episode of his podcast, 'ArkanSanity’. Mitchell, 30, is ranked 13th in the UFC’s featherweight division.
"We reached out to Bryce immediately when we read what he said, and let him know exactly how we felt about it," White said at a news conference on Thursday.
"But what he said was beyond disgusting and he needs a real education on the facts surrounding Hitler and World War Two.”
But, citing freedom of expression, White said the UFC would not take disciplinary action against the American.
Full story:
Interview: Della Maddalena on 'blueprint' to beat Edwards at UFC London
13:53
,
Alex Pattle
Another new UFC interview, but not regarding tonight’s event...
We spoke to Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena, who will venture to London for a main event against Leon Edwards in March.
Here’s what “JDM” had to say about his upcoming clash with the home favourite and former champion:
UFC Saudi Arabia odds for main event and co-main
13:48
,
Alex Pattle
Via Betway:
Adesanya – 4/7; Imavov – 7/5
Magomedov – 8/15; Page – 7/5
Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers. The Independent vets betting sites for useability, security and responsible gambling tools. You can claim free bets here to use across a range of sports. Please read the terms.
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Preview: Adesanya may never fight for UFC gold again if he can't pass Imavov test
13:44
,
Will Castle
Now fighting for contendership instead of gold, a win tonight is a must if Adesanya intends to become the UFC’s first three-time middleweight champion.
Anything else will cast him further away from the title picture and could even spell retirement. His route back to the throne is anything but easy, and his test against Imavov could prove telling.
On a three-fight tear, Imavov is getting a taste for the main event now; tonight’s is his fourth in the UFC, with two of his previous three going down as wins.
Far more in-form than Adesanya, the Frenchman is vying for title contention for the first time, and he will be desperate to add a divisional great to his resume.
Full preview of tonight’s main event:
Interview: ‘MVP’ sees Magomedov as ‘tailor made’ for KO
13:37
,
Alex Pattle
Below is our interview with Michael “Venom” Page, who fights the unbeaten Shara Magomedov in tonight’s co-main event.
We spoke to the London welterweight about why he’s moving up to 185lb for this fight, his feelings on his loss to Ian Machado Garry last year, and why he is confident of a KO over Magomedov.
Read here:
All fights at UFC Saudi Arabia today – prelims and main card
13:31
,
Alex Pattle
Main card
Israel Adesanya vs Nassourdine Imavov (middleweight)
Shara Magomedov vs Michael “Venom” Page (middleweight)
Sergei Pavlovich vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
Said Nurmagomedov vs Vinicius Oliveira (bantamweight)
Fares Ziam vs Mike Davis (lightweight)
Muhammad Naimov vs Kaan Ofli (featherweight)
Prelims
Shamil Gaziev vs Thomas Petersen (heavyweight)
Terrance McKinney vs Damir Hadzovic (lightweight)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva (women’s flyweight)
Bogdan Grad vs Lucas Alexander (featherweight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs Jamal Pogues (heavyweight)
How to watch UFC Saudi Arabia today
13:21
,
Alex Pattle
The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. Discovery+ will also air the action in the UK.
In the US, ESPN+ will stream the event live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.
UFC Saudi Arabia start time today
13:11
,
Alex Pattle
This week’s UFC Fight Night will take place at Anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The prelims will start at 2pm GMT (6am PT / 8am CT / 9am ET), with the main card following at 5pm GMT (9am PT / 11am CT / 12pm ET).
Adesanya fights Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia LIVE
13:00
,
Alex Pattle
Israel Adesanya faces Nassourdine Imavov in a crucial middleweight clash tonight, as they meet in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia.
Adesanya, a former two-time champion, will try to halt a two-fight losing streak as he takes on the in-form Frenchman. The Nigerian-born New Zealander is in a must-win situation, having surrendered the title to Sean Strickland in a major upset in 2023, before failing to reclaim the gold from current champ Dricus Du Plessis.
Meanwhile, Imavov enters Riyadh on the back of three straight wins, having beaten Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen in a stellar 2024. Still, Adesanya marks Imavov’s toughest test yet, as the latter looks to reach title contention at the “Last Stylebender”’s expense.
And in tonight’s co-main event, Michael “Venom” Page faces Shara Magomedov, with the London welterweight moving up to 185lb. “MVP” will aim to bounce back from a loss to Ian Machado Garry and hand Magomedov his first professional loss.
Follow live updates and results from UFC Saudi Arabia, right here.
