In the principle occasion of UFC Saudi Arabia final night time, former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya suffered a shock knockout loss by the hands of Nassourdine Imavov.
It wasn’t essentially a poor efficiency from ‘The Final Stylebender’, who did win the primary spherical on all three of the judges’ scorecards earlier than being caught by a stunning overhand in the second.
While there are calls for Israel Adesanya to retire from the game, there are many followers who would like to see the favored former champion proceed competing below the UFC banner – together with certainly one of his most iconic former foes.
- UFC SAUDI ARABIA: Francis Ngannou sends heartwarming message to Adesanya after third consecutive loss
Marvin Vettori makes hilarious case for trilogy battle vs Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya has already taken to social media to share his immediate reaction to the surprise UFC Saudi Arabia KO, acknowledging that he’s going to take a while away to recuperate from what’s his third consecutive loss within the octagon.
At any time when Adesanya does return, he’ll seemingly need to win two or three extra fights earlier than he’s again in UFC title competition; and it’s not taken lengthy for ‘Stylebender’ to be known as out by certainly one of his former championship rivals.
“Solely probability for Adesanya to win a battle is to battle me lol,” wrote common Italian middleweight Marvin Vettori on X, joking in a later put up that “Adesanya energy was his canine weiner imo lol.”
Adesanya is presently 2-0 up over ‘The Italian Dream’, having defeated the outspoken contender through a cut up resolution in 2018, and a unanimous resolution in the principle occasion of UFC 263 in June 2021.
Vettori has skilled a stop-start run within the UFC since that loss to Adesanya, incomes wins over Paulo Costa and Roman Dolidze, however dropping outcomes to Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier.
Again to Adesanya who, on the post-fight press convention, was suggested by each Dana White and opponent Nassourdine Imavov to maintain combating and never cling up the gloves.
“He’s in actually good condition and I feel he ought to maintain combating, and he’ll be [back] to successful fights for positive,” inspired Imavov, who now has his sights set on the UFC middleweight title.
“Hear, getting caught is getting caught; he’s 35, Imavov is 28 years previous and in his prime,” acknowledged Dana White, including that Adesanya “regarded unimaginable [and] he couldn’t have fought a greater first spherical than he did.”
- UFC SAUDI ARABIA: Khabib Nurmagomedov reacts to Adesanya’s shock KO loss to Imavov
Marvin Vettori faces Roman Kopylov – no, Dolidze – in March return battle
After over 18 months on the sidelines, Marvin Vettori’s UFC return is scheduled for the principle occasion of a Combat Evening card on March 15 in opposition to 14-3 Georgian, Roman Dolidze.
Vettori had beforehand taken to social media to joke that he’d been getting ready for 14-3 Russian middleweight Roman Kopylov as an alternative; and had gotten the 2 names confused.
“Lol this entire time I assumed it’s Roman Kopylov nevertheless it’s really Roman Dolidze,” he wrote on X final week, including “All good, completely different final title, similar end result.”
The Italian is a reasonable favourite to win that bout, with round 69% of Tapology customers predicting a Vettori victory; the ‘Italian Dream’ has already defeated Dolidze as soon as earlier than – a unanimous resolution at UFC 286 in March 2023.
The Georgian adopted up that loss by dropping a majority resolution to UFC Saudi Arabia standout Imavov, though since then, he’s racked up two spectacular wins in a row over Anthony Smith and Kevin Holland.
The one different battle that has been formally confirmed for that occasion on March 15 is a flyweight bout between Daniel Barez and Andre Lima – extra fights are anticipated to be confirmed within the following weeks.
Can Marvin Vettori return to the win column and doubtlessly arrange a trilogy battle in opposition to Israel Adesanya? Discover out on March 18 for UFC Combat Evening: Vettori vs Dolidze 2.
