Israel Adesanya efficiently made weight for his first non-title battle in six years.
The 2-time middleweight champion nonetheless hit championship weight at Friday’s official weigh-ins for UFC Saudi Arabia, which takes place early Saturday morning (japanese time) at anb Enviornment in Riyadh. Adesanya registered at 185 kilos as did most important occasion opponent Nassourdine Imavov, with neither man needing the one-pound allowance for a non-title bout.
This can be a pivotal bout for each males as Adesanya—at present No. 4 at middleweight within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings—appears to be like to interrupt out of a 1-3 droop, whereas additionally halting the momentum of Imavov (No. 7), a winner of three straight.
Co-main occasion middleweights Shara Magomedov and Michael Page additionally efficiently made weight, at 185 kilos and 185.5 kilos, respectively.
All 22 fighters competing Saturday have been on the mark, aside from preliminary fighter Lucas Alexander. The Brazilian featherweight got here in at 148.5 kilos, 2.5 kilos over the restrict. That is the second straight time Alexander has didn’t make weight as he got here in at 148 kilos for a battle with Jeka Saragih in November 2023.
Alexander’s bout with Bogdan Grad will proceed as a catchweight with Alexander forfeiting 30 p.c of his purse as penalty.
Major Card (ESPN+, 12 p.m. ET)
Israel Adesanya (185) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (185)
Shara Magomedov (185) vs. Michael Web page (185.5)
Sergei Pavlovich (249) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (252)
Said Nurmagomedov (135.5) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135)
Fares Ziam (156) vs. Mike Davis (155.5)
Preliminaries (ESPN+, 9. a.m. ET)
Muhammad Naimov (145.5) vs. Kaan Ofli (145)
Shamil Gaziev (260) vs. Thomas Petersen (263)
Terrance McKinney (156) vs. Damir Hadzovic (155.5)
Jasmine Jasudavicius (125) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (126)
Bogdan Grad (145.5) vs. Lucas Alexander (148.5)*
Hamdy Abdelwahab (260) vs. Jamal Pogues (264)
*Alexander missed weight. His bout with Bogdan Grad proceeds at a catchweight with Alexander forfeiting 30 p.c of his purse as penalty
