Donald Trump sent a five-word DM to Dana White about Israel Adesanya's third straight UFC loss in a row at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov

An unexpected twist defined the UFC Saudi Arabia Fight Night main event as emerging contender Nassourdine Imavov knocked out Israel Adesanya. The Frenchman began the exchange with a sharp jab before following with a crushing right hand that floored the former champion at 0:30 of Round 2.

The precise barrage of punches forced an early stoppage, marking Adesanya’s third consecutive loss in the promotion. Imavov has now racked up four straight wins, solidifying his place as a serious title threat in the 185-pound division.

In a recent interview with Fox Sports leading up to UFC 312, White revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump sent him a concise five-word direct message expressing his doubts about the referee's stoppage. According to White, the message read:

“That was an early stoppage.” [H/t: Fox Sports]

Check out the knockout below:

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Israel Adesanya talks to Marc Goddard about his TKO stoppages

Israel Adesanya addressed controversial TKO stoppages in his UFC bouts against Alex Pereira and Nassourdine Imavov during a candid backstage discussion with referee Marc Goddard at UFC 312. 'The Last Stylebender' has lost only twice by KO/TKO, with both defeats occurring in bouts officiated by Goddard.

"Ignore all that, don't worry. Nice to see you away from the cage. Don't be [sorry]. I'll tell you one thing. The one in New York, I was like eh, but this was good. You know why? I wasn't there. I was moving, but it was all instincts."

During the conversation, Goddard apologized for the controversial calls made in those bouts. Adesanya responded by dismissing the criticism, remarking:

"Don't preach to the choir. You're preaching to the choir. Don't worry. F*ck whatever they say."

Check out the interaction between Israel Adesanya and Marc Goddard at UFC 312 below:

Adesanya's last win was his knockout victory over Alex Pereira back in 2023. While he's going through a rough patch in terms of results, his 2019 war with Kelvin Gastelum was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, a bout also officiated by Goddard.