“Imavov Is a Problem”- Team Khabib & Khamzat Chimaev Unite Over Israel Adesanya’s Loss at UFC Saudi Arabia

For Israel Adesanya’s fans, Saturday night was nothing short of devastating. The former middleweight champion had hoped to break his two-fight losing streak against French-Dagestani fighter Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250, Saudi Arabia’s first UFC event of the year but instead tasted defeat in round two via TKO. At the 2:30 mark of round two, Nassourdine Imavov landed a devastating overhand right that sent ‘Izzy’ crashing to the canvas. This victory marked a pivotal moment in the 185 lbs division, signaling the rise of Imavov as a major contender!

His impressive performance earned widespread praise from MMA legends, including UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Russian shared his admiration on social media, writing, “Just wow @imavov1 my congratulations 👏👏👏 what a performance 👊.”

Fellow ‘Team Khabib’ member and reigning 155 lbs champion Islam Makhachev also praised Imavov’s dominant showing, commenting, “It was amazing. Congrats, bro.” Despite Nassourdine Imavov’s shift to represent France, his victory was met with support from his Dagestani brothers, who continue to back the rising star.

On the other hand, welterweight champion Belal Muhammad offered a different perspective on Imavov’s ascent. Muhammad raised concerns about the UFC middleweight division and speculated that the winner of a potential bout between Imavov and Caio Borralho could face Khamzat Chimaev. He stated, “Yeah, Imavov is a problem. Him vs. Caio seems like the next fight if Khamzat gets the next title shot.” ‘Borz’, a dominant force in the 185 lbs division, could very well be the next title challenger.

However, despite the buzz surrounding Imavov, the Chechen native appeared unbothered, instead congratulating him for his victory over Adesanya. ‘Borz’ posted, “Congratulations Кумык.” While Imavov’s victory was widely celebrated, it was met with disappointment from some quarters, particularly Israel Adesanya’s supporters.

Like many fans, Belal Muhammad expressed his frustration with the Nigerian-Kiwi’s recent losses, tweeting, “Ugh, hate to see Izzy lose back to back.” Dillon Danis, a close teammate of Conor McGregor and MMA-turned-boxer, who tweeted, who tweeted, “Man, that was tough to watch” echoed this sentiment. “Israel Adesanya is a legend. That one really hit me in the feels for some reason.”

‘The Last Stylebender’, who has not fought in a non-title bout since 2019, now finds himself on a three-fight losing streak. After 12 fights, including a loss in his first non-PPV event, questions are being raised about whether the 35-year-old Adesanya should consider stepping away from the sport.

At what age did Israel Adesanya plan his retirement?

How much longer can someone like Israel Adesanya, who has long seemed unstoppable, continue to thrive as he nears his 40s? Izzy, turning 36 this July, made a name for himself in the UFC after a stellar kickboxing career, where he earned an impressive 75 wins out of 80 bouts. But his time in the UFC has been nothing short of legendary, capturing the middleweight title twice and building a lasting legacy.

During his appearance on the ‘JRE MMA Show #164’ last year, Adesanya revealed his thoughts on retirement, stating, “I feel like I won’t be fighting at 40. I don’t think that’s for me. I’d rather be doing something else. But 38, right now, is in my head. Who knows? At 36 or 37, I might just say, ‘Peace, I’m out.’ I’m spontaneous like that, but I think 38, maybe 39. Let’s see what happens first. At the moment, I’m still here.”

Interesting Fact: ‘The Last Stylebender’ took an interest in martial arts after he watched a Muay-Thai movie called ‘Ong-Bak’. He was a big fan of it as a teenager.

Now, as Adesanya approaches 36, his recent losses leave fans wondering: Is it time for the middleweight champion to hang up his gloves? Or could his journey continue toward 38 or 39, despite his setbacks?

Drawing a comparison to UFC legend Tony Ferguson, whose losing streak has stretched to eight, some fear things could take a turn for the worse. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Top Comment by David1010

It appears to me that the force has dissappeared from Izzy, I could see it as he stood by the...more

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