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- What: UFC Saudi Arabia Main Event
- Who: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
- Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025
- Location: anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Time: Prelims (9:00 a.m. ET), Main Card (12:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
The next UFC fight card takes place on Saturday, February 1, when the fight promotion returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a UFC Fight Night card headlined by a middleweight bout between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov. Before we look at the betting breakdown for the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card main event, here is some background on the fighters competing in that contest.
Israel Adesanya (24-4) is the No. 2 ranked fighter in the UFC middleweight division. In his first run as champion, Adesanya successfully defended his title five times. His second stint with the belt ended in his first defense when he dropped a decision to Strickland in September 2023. The former champ is on a two-fight losing skid, losing a decision to current champion Dricus du Plessis in August 2024.
Nassourdine Imavov (15-4-0-1) is on a 6-0-1 run at 185 pounds under the UFC banner. He is coming off a September 2024 unanimous decision win over Brendan Allen. His only loss in the past four years was a light heavyweight setback to Sean Strickland in January 2023. Imavov is the No. 5 fighter in the UFC middleweight division.
Before we look at the best bets for the Adesanya vs. Imavov matchup on the UFC Saudi Arabia card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find the best odds on all the UFC fights.
UFC Saudi Arabia main event: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |
| Israel Adesanya | -170 | -172 | -165 | -180 |
| Nassourdine Imavov | +145 | +147 | +135 | +140 |
Israel Adesanya betting breakdown
One of the most talented mixed martial artists of the past few years, Israel Adesanya is a fantastic striker who is excellent at judging timing and distance, Adesanya has made minor adjustments and additions to his bag of tricks over the years, making him a more dangerous and difficult opponent. One of the few fighters in the game who can make massive adjustments during battle, Adesanya is well-coached and dialed in with his team at City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand.
One worry about Adesanya is that he can sometimes lay back too much during fights, something that cost him his title against Strickland. His style is one of reaction more than leading the dance, which hurt him against Strickland. Du Plessis is somewhat similar to Strickland in that he is a fighter that uses pressure and forward motion. Adesanya needs to negate that pressure more than react to it.
The former champ has a five inch reach advantage over his opponent in this matchup.
Adesanya lands 4.00 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 48 percent. His striking defense is 56 percent, and he absorbs 3.21 strikes per minute. The ex-champ lands 0.05 takedowns per 15 minutes with an accuracy of 12 percent, and his takedown defense is 75 percent.
Nassourdine Imavov betting breakdown
Nassourdine Imavov is a technical striker with fast hands, a good jab, an effective straight right, and strong kicks. He mixes up his targets and techniques well, and his stance and style allow him to mask his takedown attempts effectively. He is also deceptively strong on the ground, with the ability to control his opponent and work toward submissions. His fast hands allow him to pierce the guard of an unsuspecting foe. Imavov has the hallmarks of a fighter who can follow and execute a game plan. He is not someone to be goaded into a striking war, and his experience of going five rounds with a fighter like Sean Strickland, who sets a fast pace and continuously moves forward, should serve him well going into this fight.
While Imavov is best at distance thanks to his kickboxing approach, he is also effective in the clinch thanks to his ability to control things on the fence and sneak in fast and powerful elbows when his adversary is not expecting those strikes.
Imavov lands 4.51 significant strikes per minute, with an accuracy rate of 55 percent. His striking defense is sound at 58 percent, and he absorbs 3.20 significant strikes per minute. Like his foe, he’s not known for his takedowns.
Best Bets: UFC Saudi Arabia Main Event – Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
The question facing the 35-year-old Israel Adesanya heading into this matchup is if he has begun the downward slide that often starts when fighters hit 35. That may not be the case because although he is coming off a loss to UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, Adesanya still looked good in that fight when it came to striking. With that in mind, the former champ should be able to handle Nassourdine Imavov on the feet, which is where Imavov normally likes to compete. However, if Imavov decides to focus on wrestling, things could get interesting in Saudi Arabia.
The betting pick is for Israel Adesanya to beat Nassourdine Imavov via decision.
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