He's going full MAGA on the middleweight" - Ex-UFC champion predicts how "embarrassed" Israel Adesanya would approach Nassourdine Imavov fight

As Israel Adesanya prepares for his highly anticipated return to competition against No.5-ranked Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, there is considerable interest in how he will perform, especially after experiencing consecutive defeats in his recent fights.

Former UFC middleweight champion and MMA analyst Michael Bisping recently shared his insights on Adesanya's potential approach for the match. While analyzing the fight for his YouTube channel, Bisping stated:

"I think Izzy's gonna come back. He says the middleweight division is boring without him. He says he's here to insert some entertainment and make the middleweight division great again, okay? He's going full MAGA on the middleweight, okay?"

He added:

"But will he beat Nassourdine Imavov? I will say this - More than likely. More than likely, Israel Adesanya gets a decision. I think he uses the jab, I think he lowers his base. I think he's probably pissed off and a little bit embarrassed."

Check out Michael Bisping's comments below (2:18):

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Michael Bisping on why Israel Adesanya is "embarrassed", and how it impacts his performance against Nassourdine Imavov

Israel Adesanya is often considered the second-most dominant champion in UFC middleweight history, following Anderson Silva. However, he has lost three of his last four fights after reigning over the division for nearly five years.

In the aforementioned breakdown video, Michael Bisping discussed the situation further, stating:

"You do get a little bit embarrassed. Your pride takes a hit when you lose three out of the last four and you see the middleweight division moving along without you, that's the part that really hurts." [2:51]

Bispin then expressed the views on how the feeling of 'embarrassment' could influence the outcome of Adesanya's upcoming fight against Nassourdine Imavov:

"[Adesanya might think] Well, I'm going to show everybody. I'm going to prove my point. I'm going to put a beatdown on Nassourdine Imavov. If that's the way he fights, he's got to be careful because if he gets too emotional, he might get caught. If he stands in the pocket too long and doesn't stick and move, he might get taken down." [3:14]

That said, Bisping stated that he still believes Adeanya will likely secure a decision win against Imavov this weekend.

Adesanya, who's coming off a fourth-round submission loss to current middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305, is a -155 favorite heading into the fight. Meanwhile, Imavov is a +135 underdog.