Nassourdine
Imavov has regularly been constructing a formidable resume over
the course of the previous 12 months.
That work culminated in a stunning second-round stoppage of
ex-champ Israel
Adesanya within the UFC
Saudi Arabia headliner at ANB Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on
Saturday. Whereas Imavov was happy to conquer an opponent who
dominated the middleweight division for years, he’s taking the victory
in stride.
“To be sincere, it’s simply one other victory,” Imavov stated via a
translator on the post-fight press convention. “A battle is a battle.
Clearly, it feels nice to beat somebody who’s a legend of the
sport.”
Along with Adesanya, Imavov has bested the likes of Brendan
Allen, Jared
Cannonier and Roman
Dolidze throughout a run that started in February 2024. The Frenchman
believes it’s greater than sufficient to have earned himself a crack at
middleweight gold. Conveniently sufficient, the title will likely be on the
line subsequent Saturday when Dricus Du
Plessis faces Sean
Strickland within the UFC 312
major occasion.
“I cleaned [out] the burden class in a single 12 months,” Imavov stated. “4
fights, two wins towards Prime-10 competitors, two [finishes] towards
Prime-5 competitors. Subsequent is the belt.”
Whereas Imaov was an underdog heading into the showdown with
Adesanya, the Frenchman proved that he was a expertise on the rise by
rallying from a gradual begin to put his opponent away. In line with
Imavov, the tide started to show towards the top of the primary spherical
when he landed an uppercut to get his opponent’s consideration.
“That was the purpose — to shock you. I instructed you a shock was
coming,” Imavov stated. “We labored on it through the warmup, we labored
on it throughout the entire week and it labored.
“We knew he would are available in in superb form. That’s what he did
from the very starting, very explosive, very quick. However I needed to
put my wrestling on, and with the wrestling, [using] the fence with
the wrestling, the uppercut would come. My rib was harm, however I stored
wrestling to have the ability to feint, to have the ability to strike with the
fence.”
