Israel Adesanya is not shying away from anything ahead of his UFC Saudi Arabia clash against Nassourdine Imavov. The pair will headline the fight night card on Feb. 1 in what will be Adesanya's first non-title bout since 2019. Both fighters made weight successfully, weighing in at 185 pounds, the middleweight division's championship limit.
With the 185-pound title scheduled to be contested at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 between Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland, both Adesanya and Imavov may be proving to matchmakers that they can make 185 pounds if need be.
With 'The Last Stylebender' now just hours away from his much-anticipated return to the octagon, he has shared footage of his weight cut, which included an emotional moment while cutting weight in the bath.
The former two-time champion was brought to the verge of tears as his mental acuity sharpened ahead of battle, and said this:
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"Even if I fall I'll fall with style, Buzz Lightyear. Let's f**king go! Let's go man, I'm f**king ready. I'm not even in pain, I just feel everything. This is some kind of ritual we always do, it takes it to that next level. It's like a f**king ceremony where we get to ascend to the next level. I feel my body tingling like I've been doing Shamanic breathing."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments while cutting weight below (5:35):
Israel Adesanya explains what he wants to prove at UFC Saudi Arabia
UFC Saudi Arabia will see a thrilling middleweight matchup take place between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov. Both fighters are known for their striking skillsets, and fans can expect their bout to be contested mainly on the feet.
'The Last Stylebender' will enter the octagon having suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He suffered an unexpected defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 before being submitted by Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305.
Given Adesanya's incredibly decorated MMA career, there have been questions about the motivation of the former two-time champion ahead of his clash with Imavov.
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA, the 35-year-old explained his purpose in Riyadh, saying this:
"This fight's about skill. This fight's about proving to myself that an old-dog can still learn new tricks and grow. That's why I said I'm going to get a submission this year sometime, I'm just gonna create more highlights. More moments, more magical moments."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below (0:25):