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Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov on Saturday night.
It was the Stylebender’s third consecutive defeat.
Adesanya was sent tumbling to the canvas by a huge right hand from Imavov.
Imavov finished off Adesanya with some heavy ground and pound midway through the second round.
Adesanya had overcome his demons by knocking out Alex Pereira in April 2023 at the fourth time of asking.
That win saw the Nigerian-New Zealander regain the UFC middleweight title before suffering back-to-back losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.
Heading into his fight with Imavov, Adesanya needed a win to remain at the middleweight top table.
But Imavov denied him that opportunity in devastating fashion.
Adesanya appeared to briefly protest the stoppage, but there was no denying things would have only got worse if the referee hadn’t waved it off.
Everyone in the AnB arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was stunned by the stoppage, including Adesanya, who banged the canvas in anger as the result sank in.
In other news, Newly appointed coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, made an emphatic promise on Monday, vowing that his team would deliver the goals necessary to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup. This commitment comes after Nigeria’s disappointing absence from the previous edition of the tournament and a less-than-ideal start to the current qualification campaign.
The 47-year-old coach has officially put pen to paper on a two-year contract, with his primary mandate being to lead the Super Eagles to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. This contract solidifies his commitment to a goal-driven tenure, where success will be measured by the team’s ability to secure a place in the prestigious tournament.
At his formal introduction in Abuja, Chelle expressed confidence that his team would play a high-energy, attacking style of football, with the sole purpose of ensuring Nigeria’s qualification for next year’s World Cup. His statement emphasizes a commitment to attacking football as the key to unlocking the team’s full potential and securing a place in the global competition.