Nassourdine Imavov Moves Up The Middleweight Rankings After Stunning Win

If people didn’t take Nassourdine Imavov seriously before, they sure do now.

This past Saturday, in Saudi Arabia, Imavov delivered a massive statement by knocking out former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. It wasn’t just another win—it was the kind of performance that changes a fighter’s career.

Before the fight, Imavov was already ranked in the UFC’s top 10 at 185 pounds, riding an unbeaten streak in his last seven fights. But he was still searching for that one big win to prove he belonged among the best of the best. Well, he got it. And he got it in devastating fashion.

A Career-Defining Knockout

When the fight started, Adesanya looked sharp. He was moving well, landing clean shots, and showing the elite striking that once made him one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. It seemed like he was in control.

But in MMA, momentum can change in a split second—and that’s exactly what happened.

As the fight wore on, Imavov started finding his timing. And then, out of nowhere, BOOM. A perfectly placed right hand dropped Adesanya to the mat. The crowd went silent for a moment before erupting as the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Read this: USA vs Canada Hockey: How Team USA Secured Victory in a Heated Matchup

It was a brutal, undeniable finish. One punch changed everything, and Imavov had just handed Adesanya his third straight loss.

Source: MMA divisional rankings: Nassourdine Imavov uses KO to climb at middleweight

What This Means for Adesanya

Let’s be real—this is a tough loss for Adesanya. He’s now on a three-fight losing streak, something nobody would have predicted just a couple of years ago.

That said, his other two losses were against top guys:

Dricus du Plessis (the current middleweight champion)
Sean Strickland (a former champ fighting for the title again soon)

This means Adesanya isn’t completely out of the picture yet. He was actually looking good in the fight before getting caught, so while he’s slipping in the rankings, he’s not falling off completely. He drops one spot to No. 5, still within reach of another big fight if he bounces back.

Read this: Cole Ragans Stays in Kansas City: Royals Sign Ace Through 2027

Nassourdine Imavov Moves Up the Middleweight Rankings After Stunning Win

Imavov Climbs the Rankings

With this win, Imavov jumps to No. 4 in ESPN’s middleweight rankings. That’s a huge step up and puts him right in the mix for a potential title shot in the near future.

Adesanya dropping to No. 5 is the only ranking change this week—none of the other weight classes saw any movement in their top 10.

What’s Next for Imavov?

Imavov just shook up the entire division, so now the big question is: What’s next?

With his new ranking, he’s likely just one win away from fighting for the title. He could be matched up against another top contender—maybe someone like Jared Cannonier, Khamzat Chimaev, or even a title eliminator bout against the winner of Strickland vs. Du Plessis.

One thing’s for sure: After this knockout, everyone in the division is paying attention to Nassourdine Imavov now.