January 21, 2025 3 min read

likes:

Fact-checked by Stoyan Todorov

Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov UFC Fight Night 250 Odds, Time, and Prediction

Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov is the main event of UFC Fight Night 250 (a.k.a., UFC on ESPN+ 108 or UFC Riyadh), which will take place at the Anb Arena in the capital of Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 1

For the first time in nearly five years, Israel Adesanya isn’t fighting for the title. Instead, he’s fighting against Nassourdine Imavov for a chance to get back into the spotlight after two straight losses. Judging by the UFC Riyadh odds, he’s expected to end his losing run, but we don’t think his opponent should be underestimated.

Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Odds

MoneylineOdds
Israel Adesanya-170
Nassourdine Imavov+145

When, Where, and How to Watch?

  • Place: Anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Date: Saturday, February 1, 2024
  • Time: ~4:00 p.m. ET
  • How to Watch: ESPN+

Israel Adesanya Fighting for His Legacy

Israel Adesanya is 24-4 overall with two losses in his last two fights. First, Sean Strickland took away his UFC Middleweight title by completely out-striking him in their 2023 fight. Then, last year, Izzy lost to Dricus du Plessis by submission (face crank).

This, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s washed up. He’s 35, but in the MMA universe, that’s not old age – he’s got at least a couple of years in him.

You can be certain that his kickboxing skills are still at a very high level. After all, this is a guy whose most recent win happened against Alex Pereira whom he KO-ed. It was Poatan’s first and only loss by KO since becoming an MMA fighter.

The UFC bosses know this, which is why he’s still very high in the Middleweight Rankings. He’s currently second, but a win over Imavov (especially if it’s a spectacular KO), would bring him back in the conversation for the title.

Nassourdine Imavov Mustn’t Be Underestimated

Nassourdine Imavov is seen as an underdog, but he’s a hell of a fighter. He’s 15-4-1 overall with three wins in a row. His biggest advantage over Adesanya is that he’s a much more well-rounded fighter.

This guy is equally good at wrestling, grappling, and striking. He also has a high fight IQ, and he tends to adapt easily to the fighting style of his opponent.

Imavov has already defeated a couple of fantastic strikers, including Jared Cannonier, Joaquin Buckley, and Edmen Shahbazyan.

He also went to war with Sean Strickland in a 5-round fight in 2023, which the American won in the end by decision. What’s also very interesting is that he’s never lost a fight by KO/TKO. Can Adesanya change that?

Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Prediction

We can smell upset here. Adesanya is seen as the betting favorite, but his confidence is probably at a low level after two straight losses.

The worst thing is that he didn’t look like his old self in those fights – Strickland beat him up and du Plessis rag-dolled him before winning by submission.

Now, he’s facing Imavov who’s got plenty of weapons in his arsenal, and who’s tough as nails.

We’re not sure that Adesanya can knock this guy out, which is almost certainly his fight plan. Instead, we predict that the fight will go the distance, and the judges will score in Imavov’s favor.

Pick: Nassourdine Imavov

Journalist

Jessie, our resident sports specialist, brings over 5 years of experience in sports journalism to our team. She has worked with several prominent online sports news outlets, gaining specialist insight across a wide range of sports markets. Her passion for sports is evident, having competed at a national level during college. Jessie aims to enhance the value of our sports coverage for readers at Gambling News with her expertise and enthusiasm.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *