UFC Saudi Arabia undoubtedly provided an unforgettable night. The mega-event curated by head honcho Dana White was full of shocking upsets and career-defining moments. While some underdogs took the opportunity to move up the standings, others suffered painful defeats that could change their paths in the promotion.

From Nassourdine Imavov’s shocking knockout of Israel Adesanya to Michael ‘Venom’ Page making his imprint in the middleweight category, the night’s winners left a lasting impression. On the other hand, big names like Adesanya faced hard realities. With a card that dropped unexpected results, let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers in UFC Saudi Arabia.

Winners

Nassourdine Imavov

Nassourdine Imavov appears to be a heavy hitter. In the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia, the Russian-French contender joined title contention by knocking out the legendary Israel Adesanya in two rounds. When it appeared that Adesanya was controlling the fight with his good distance management and leg kicks, Imavov sent a warning with a thunderous uppercut that rocked the New Zealander’s composure. The fifth-ranked fighter came off the bench with confidence, and it paid off when he connected with a perfect forehand hook that sent Adesanya sprawling against the cage before finishing him with a devastating ground and pound. This was a major win for Imvov, who has now silenced all his critics by knocking out a former champion.

Michael Venom Page

Regardless of division, Michael Page‘s style is a problem for everyone. The former Bellator fighter debuted at 185 pounds in the co-main event of UFC Saudi Arabia, defeating undefeated prospect Shara Magomedov. Controlling the fight with his trademark feints, the Briton connected at will with Magomedov, who became increasingly irritated as the minutes passed.

‘MVP’ maintained his composure throughout the fight while the Dagestani tried to keep on shortening the distance but to no avail. By the end of the fight, Page was named the winner by a well-deserved unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28). ‘MVP’ is now 2–1 in the octagon after losing on the cards against Ian Garry, and by taking away Magomedov’s unbeaten record, he has proved himself as a lethal force in the Dana White-led promotion.

Fares Ziam

In a spectacular bout, Fares Ziam (16-4) and Mike Davis (11-2) entered the Octagon with winning streaks. However, Ziam was the only one who left with the streak intact. Prior to this event, Ziam’s significant victory over Matt Frevola by knee KO established his position in the UFC lightweight division. But this win over Davis has cemented him as a fighter to look out for.

Over three rounds, the Frenchman countered Davis’ aggressive strikes with long-range jabs and low kicks. He kept on maintaining pressure on the American, and by the end, Ziam’s tactics worked off as he won by unanimous decision (30-27), improving his UFC record to 7-2 and halting Davis’ four-fight winning run.  Now, with such an impressive performance, he would be all geared up to go against a higher-ranked opponent to become one of the A-listers of the promotion.

Losers

Israel Adesanya

With the loss against Nassourdine Imavov, for Israel Adesanya, the outlook is bleak. The former kickboxing star has suffered four losses in his last five fights, and it was his second defeat via stoppage. With such a devastating loss, ‘Izzy’ will suffer a significant drop in the rankings. So much so, that he will most likely be just shy of leaving the top 5.

Even Chael Sonnen projected Adesanya’s destiny before his fight, stating, “If Izzy loses to Imavov, the career that he has enjoyed is over. He’s already out of title; he’s already off of pay-per-view. I mean, right? It’s just the way that it goes.” So, it looks like the biggest loser of the event is ‘The Last Stylebender.’

Sharaputdin Magomedov

Sharaputdin Magomedov entered this card with a record of 14–0; however, he would be leaving Saudi Arabia with his very first loss in pro-MMA. ‘Bullet’ occupies the fourteenth place in the Middleweight ranking, and this loss might shake that position a bit. However, it is the confidence that will take the biggest hit after being defeated by Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

From being invincible to finally realizing that you are indeed immortal, it can make many lose the competitive edge that they once had. So, for now, fans would be hoping that ‘Shara Bullet’ comes out to the Octagon again to restart another win streak that would hopefully remain till his retirement.

Sergei Pavlovich

Sergei Pavlovich won again, but it was not a victory that impressed many. In need of a win, the Russian heavyweight entered UFC Saudi Arabia after two consecutive losses, but he recovered by defeating Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Following the standard in the heavyweight category, if there is not a swift knockout, there will be fifteen minutes of little to no action, as both combatants refused to trade blows.

With this lackluster win, the fourth-ranked Pavlovich extends his record to 7–3. He had already lost against Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall before entering this card. But despite the win, he would still be counted as a loser in the eyes of many fans who expected some excitement from his fights. Instead, they got served a snoozefest. What do you think? Do you agree with the list? Let us know in the comments.