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411’s UFC Fight Night Report: Imavov Stops Adesanya
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, noon ET)
#2 Israel Adesanya (185 lbs.) vs. #5 Nassourdine Imavov (185 lbs.)
#14 Shara Magomedov (185 lbs.) vs. Michael Page (185.5 lbs.)
#4 Sergei Pavlovich (249 lbs.) vs. #9 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (252 lbs.)
Said Nurmagomedov (135.5 lbs.) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135 lbs.)
Mike Davis (155.5 lbs.) vs. Fares Ziam (156 lbs.)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 9 a.m. ET)
Muhammad Naimov (145.5 lbs.) vs. Kaan Ofli (145 lbs.)
#14 Shamil Gaziev (260 lbs.) vs. Thomas Petersen (263 lbs.)
Damir Hadzovic (155.5 lbs.) vs. Terrance McKinney (156 lbs.)
Mayra Bueno Silva (126 lbs.) vs. #12 Jasmine Jasudavicius (125 lbs.)
Lucas Alexander (148.5 lbs.)* vs. Bogdan Grad (145.5 lbs.)
Hamdy Abdelwahab (260 lbs.) vs. Jamal Pogues (264 lbs.)
Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 108, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. The UFC is back in Saudi Arabia for this one and while it’s not exactly a great card top to bottom there are definitely relevant fights to be had here. The main event is a very relevant middleweight bout as former two time champion Israel Adesanya takes on the rising contender Nassourdine Imavov, this should determine how ready Imavov is to take a step towards the title level as well as what the trajectory for Adesanya is at this point. In the co-main event we’ve got a couple of striking specialists with Michael Page and Shara Magomedov in what could be a fun affair on the feet. Sergei Pavlovich is trying to halt a bit of a skid, Vinicius Oliveira is back as well and he’s usually violent, plus two prospects trying to become contenders battle with Fares Ziam taking on Mike Davis. The prelims are a little more barren but Muhammad Naimov and Kaan Ofli might be good, and Terrance McKinney fight tends to end with knockouts one way or another. The rest, it’s not exactly standing out on paper but let’s hope for some good action.
UFC on ESPN+ 108 comes to the world from anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. John Gooden, Laura Sanko, and Paul Felder will be calling the action so we’ll at least have good professional level commentary. I think we all know the new rules at this point but I’m still waiting for more fighters to start showing tomahawk elbows now that they’re legal.
Hamdy Abdelwahab is undefeated overall, his UFC debut took place in July of 2022 but he failed a drug test and hasn’t been since since. Abdelwahab is trying to bounce back and get a UFC win that’ll actually stick, and since this is heavyweight they’re always looking for talent. Jamal Pogues has gone 2-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a win so he’s trying to find his first UFC winning streak here. Very close one here, -130 on Abdelwahab to +110 for Pogues.
Heavyweight Bout: Hamdy Abdelwahab (5-0 1 NC, 260 lbs.) vs. Jamal Pogues (11-4, 264 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Man that place is empty for the first fight. Pogues is an inch taller with five inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Circling from both men then they clash on leg kicks. Bit of a jab from Pogues. Abdelwahab lands a right hand then they clinch up and Abdelwahab hits an outside reap. Pogues moves to his knees and looks to wall walk, Abdelwahab lands a few punches. Eventually Pogues is able to wall walk and separate. Pogues lands a couple of jabs. They’re both pretty flat footed after just that one wrestling exchange. Right hand from Pogues. Pogues lands another right hand. At distance Pogues is landing pretty clean straight punches. Calf kick from Abdelwahab then Pogues lands a one two. Calf kick from Pogues. Some more lead hand work from Pogues. Abdelwahab misses a couple of punches then they stare away the final seconds.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Abdelwahab but a close one
ROUND TWO: Pogues gets back to jabbing and circling. They trade calf kicks. Both men swing in close, Abdelwahab is able to land a right hand in that exchange. Right hand then a left from Pogues. Another right from Pogues. Both men land lead hand punches. Abdelwahab blocks a high kick. Some stance switching from Pogues but he’s not doing much out of southpaw. Calf kick from Pogues. Abdelwahab lands a calf kick then Pogues returns it. More jabs from Pogues then Abdelwahab lands a calf kick. Pogues lands another few jabs then a right hand to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pogues, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Circling from Pogues and he snaps out several jabs then avoids a counter right. Abdelwahab with a body kick, then Pogues lands a bit of a high kick. Right to the body from Abdelwahab. Right hand then a left hook from Pogues. Pogues lands another jab. A few leg kicks go back and forth. Glancing right hand from Abdelwahab. Pogues lands a right hand. Sharp left hook from Pogues. Left hook then a jab from Pogues. Abdelwahab stumbles trying a blitz. Bit of the old two one from Pogues, he’s sticking and moving well enough so far. Abdelwahab throws then gets countered. They trade leg kicks. Both men bark at each other but neither throws punches. They both swing and miss to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pogues, 29-28 Pogues overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Hamdy Abdelwahab via split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)
Oh, it’s gonna be one of those events huh? Abdelwahab gets an interview and talks about the layoff then says he’s got a better performance still to come.
Bogdan Grad brings a three fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s also one of the few Austrian fighters to make their way to the UFC and he’ll be trying to help grow the presence of the sport in that country. Lucas Alexander has gone 1-2 in the UFC and he’s not only coming off of a loss he’s missed weight for the second time in a row and if he sticks around the UFC they’ll almost certainly make him move up in weight. Despite, or perhaps because of, the weight miss Alexander is a slight -120 favorite to an even +100 on Grad.
Featherweight Bout: Lucas Alexander (8-4, 148.5 lbs.)* vs. Bogdan Grad (14-2, 145.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Alexander has three inches of height and reach, of course he also missed weight. Grad pressures forward quickly. Alexander with a calf kick as he circles. Bit of a left hook from Grad then he ties up and looks for a takedown against the fence. Elbow from Grad as they jockey for position. They wind up separating without incident. Alexander misses a jumping knee. Right hand then a left hook from Grad, he’s able to hit a single leg then gets to the back as they stand. Some knees to the thigh from Grad then he tries a single leg again but Alexander counters and gets on top. Right hand from Alexander, he’s standing over Grad then Grad wrestles up and hits a double leg but Grad reaches across and basically gives up octopus guard so Alexander sweeps him then stands over him and lands some leg kicks. Grad regains his feet and gets punched in the face. Front kick from Alexander. Grad lunges for a single leg and Alexander uses that to slip to his back briefly then Grad keeps wrestling for that single leg but he’s not able to finish it yet. They’ll end the round on the fence.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Alexander
ROUND TWO: Grad gets back to pressuring forward and forces a clinch then lands an elbow but Alexander slips free quickly. Some leg kicks and body kicks from Alexander as he circles. Grad is getting hit pretty reliably now. Left to the body from Alexander. Grad lands a right hand. Grad catches a kick then lands a right hand and gets on top of Alexander in half guard. Now Grad looks to pass to mount and eventually gets there. Punches from Grad as Alexander hip escapes to half guard. A few short elbows from Grad land. Grad passes back to full mount and lands more punches and elbows. Eventually Grad puts together enough punches, elbows and hammer fists to prompt the ref to stop things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bogdan Grad via TKO, strikes, at 4:22 of Round 2
Mic time for Grad, he plays with the crowd a bit then says he’s going to be a problem for the division. He hopes to be able to look back on the fight later and figure out what he did wrong, but predicts in the future he’ll continue to get even better.
BOGDAN GRAD GETS THE FINISH IN HIS DEBUT 👏 #UFCSaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/uzfQnvm7Ue
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 1, 2025
Jasmine Jasudavicius is on a three fight winning streak and has cracked the rankings at flyweight, if she can get a win here it would be arguably her biggest to date and would put her in position to start fighting up the ranks instead of defending her position. Mayra Bueno Silva is returning to flyweight for the first time since 2021, at bantamweight she fought for the title last year in one of the worst title fights in UFC history and most recently was stopped by a really bad cut in June of last year. Bueno Silva is trying to find a second life for her career back down at flyweight. The odds like Jasudavicius at -260 to +210 for Bueno Silva.
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Mayra Bueno Silva (10-4-1 1 NC, 126 lbs.) vs. #12 Jasmine Jasudavicius (12-3, 125 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Jasudavicius is an inch taller with an inch and half of reach advantage. Circling to start. Bueno Silva lands a calf kick then Jasudavicius returns it. Front kick from Bueno Silva, she’s started switching her stance a bit. Jasudavicius lands a couple of arm punches, not much on them. Bit of a right hand from Jasudavicius. Right hand then a left hook from Jasudavicius. They clinch up and trade some body work then break. They trade left hooks. Again Jasudavicius lands that right to the body followed by a left hook. Bueno Silva lands a left hook of her own. Double leg from Jasudavicius and Bueno Silva tries for a guillotine in full guard. Bueno Silva is working to tighten that choke up, Jasudavicius is able to break the grip though and starts landing some punches then elbows to the body. Jasudavicius passes to side control, gets the mounted crucifix and drops a few elbows. Bueno Silva is able to bridge and roll to her knees then Jasudavicius pulls her over to get back into side control. Jasudavicius winds up putting herself into half guard for some control. A few more punches and hammer fists from Jasudavicius, Bueno Silva tries to tie up a leg but wont find anything there as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius
ROUND TWO: Some big swelling on the left eyebrow of Bueno Silva, not fight ending but very visible. Right hand from Jasudavicius. They trade in close. Bueno Silva tries a standing guillotine but Jasudavicius pulls free. A few rights to the body from Jasudavicius. Jasudavicius lands a calf kick. They tie up and there’s a knee from Bueno Silva before they break. Counter right from Jasudavicius lands then a left hook as well. They trade body kicks, Bueno Silva is not responding well to those. Bueno Silva lands a couple of lefts to the body. Front kick from Jasudavicius. Jasudavicius lands a right hand. Again Jasudavicius lands that right hand then follows with a front kick. Bit of a left hook from Jasudavicius. Bueno Silva gets close and lands an elbow. Jasudavicius lands a few jabs then uppercuts in close as they tie up. Bueno Silva complains about a hair grab, that’s uncalled for as it wasn’t grabbed. Jasudavicius catches a kick then forces a clinch and they trade elbows on the break. Jasudavicius hits a double leg into half guard. Some shoulder strikes from Jasudavicius, she’s complaining to the ref about something but the ref isn’t sympathetic. Bueno Silva tries to invert for a leg and Jasudavicius lands hammer fists and smothers it. Jasudavicius lands a few more strikes from on top as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius, 20-18 Jasudavicius overall
ROUND THREE: Circling from both women then Jasudavicius lands a calf kick. Right to the body from Jasudavicius. They both miss punches in close. Knees are traded in close then they trade right hands. Bueno Silva lands a front kick, she’s marching forward if nothing else. Knee and elbow from Jasudavicius then Bueno Silva lands an elbow but Jasudavicius lands a couple of more knees. Bueno Silva is trying to force a brawl but Jasudavicius isn’t having it. Jasudavicius lands knees in close again. Easy double leg from Jasudavicius into half guard, Bueno Silva is just done mentally. Jasudavicius attacks an arm triangle and moves to full mount with it. Bueno Silva is able to block the choke but Jasudavicius starts elbowing her. Bueno Silva is able to hip escape to half guard but Jasudavicius is in a stockade position and lands punches to the body and head before moving back to full mount. Bueno Silva gets half guard back but Jasudavicius keeps punching her along the way. More punches from Jasudavicius as she keeps Bueno Silva from inverting. Bueno Silva is able to get full guard but Jasudavicius passes to side control and drops elbows as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius, 30-27 Jasudavicius overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jasmine Jasudavicius via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Mic time for Jasudavicius and she talks about this being the first women’s UFC fight in Saudi Arabia before putting over Bueno Silva’s toughness. She wants a title shot, seems a little out of reach in the immediate future and she just wants to fight anyone near the top of the division.
Terrance McKinney has gone 2-3 in his last five fights but the man hasn’t ever been to a decision and that kind of attitude is favored by the UFC, he is coming off of a loss and mostly he’s trying to avoid another losing streak. Damir Hadzovic has gone just 1-3 in his last four fights and he really needs to avoid another losing streak here if he wants some job security. For a guy as up and down as he’s been in the UFC McKinney is a heavy -625 favorite so that +455 comeback on Hadzovic might be tempting some bettors out there.
Lightweight Bout: Damir Hadzovic (14-7, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Terrance McKinney (15-7, 156 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: McKinney is an inch taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage, he’s also 8 years younger. They touch gloves, McKinney fighting southpaw. McKinney with a body kick then tries a high kick. Hadzovic lands a right hand. Both men fire body kicks with mixed results. McKinney lands a right hand in close. Some stance switching from McKinney, Hadzovic hits a takedown but McKinney is after a guillotine and rolls to mount with it then bails on the choke to start landing punches. Elbows from McKinney, 12-6 style which is now legal, and Hadzovic gives up his back. McKinney keeps up punches and Hadzovic wont be able to get out of the position so the ref steps in.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Terrance McKinney via TKO, punches, at 2:01 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. McKinney for his work. Mic time for McKinney and he puts over his new team and talks about giving his life to God. He talks us through the finish then gives glory to God and says he’d like to fight Chris Duncan next. That’s a very reasonable call out.
Short night at the office for Terrance McKinney 😤 #UFCSaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/2obfixfgpS
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 1, 2025
Shamil Gaziev went 1-1 last year but did get a win in his most recent outing, now he’s trying to build another winning streak and resume trying to fight opponents ranked above him. Thomas Petersen has gone 1-1 in the UFC but did get a win in his last fight and could earn his first UFC winning streak if he’s victorious here. Gaziev is the -340 favorite to Petersen’s +270.
Heavyweight Bout: #14 Shamil Gaziev (13-1, 260 lbs.) vs. Thomas Petersen (9-2, 263 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Gaziev is three inches taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Petersen. Both men try punches early. Body shot and calf kick from Petersen. Bit of a left hand from Petersen. Gaziev misses a right hand but he’s generally stalking forward. Body kick from Gaziev. Petersen lands a left to the body. They trade rights then Petersen hits the body. Gaziev lands another body kick. Single leg from Petersen then he moves to the back as they stand, he lands punches in close then Gaziev gets free. Gaziev lands a right hand. Glancing left from Petersen. They trade rights then Petersen lands a calf kick. Hard right from Gaziev drops Petersen and that’ll do it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shamil Gaziev via TKO, punch, at 3:12 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Gaziev for his work. Mic time for Gaziev and one of his coaches to translate, he sends love to his dad and misremembers his last fight going to a decision, it didn’t, but with a full camp and being healthy he feels he can promise a lot of first round finishes. He talks us through the finish to close.
ONE PUNCH KO FROM SHAMIL GAZIEV 😱 #UFCSaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/mzOVj1emIW
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 1, 2025
Muhammad Naimov has gone 3-1 in the UFC but did lose his last fight and now looks to avoid his first UFC losing streak. Kaan Ofli lost his UFC debut in August of last year but has a chance to get his first UFC win here. The odds like Naimov at -340 to a +270 comeback on Ofli. Naimov is the -360 favorite to +285 on Ofli.
Featherweight Bout: Muhammad Naimov (11-3, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Kaan Ofli (11-3-1, 145 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Naimov is two inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Both men work the lead hand early as they move around. Bit of a right from Naimov, mostly blocked though. Some stance switching from Naimov as they move around, he’s mostly orthodox though. A kick from Ofli goes low so we’ve got a time out while Naimov recovers from the low blow. No doubt about that one on replay. Naimov takes 40 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Calf kick from Naimov. Ofli lands a body kick. Knees from Naimov in close as the grabs a clinch then pushes things to the fence. They start fighting for position, Ofli has a body lock going as he’s got Naimov on the fence. Naimov spins Ofli and lands a few knees to the leg. Ofli misses an elbow as they break. Front kick from Naimov. Naimov lands a left hand but Ofli responds with a right. Elbow from Naimov lands. Solid body kick from Naimov then he catches Ofli with a right hand and hits a takedown against the fence. Ofli works to wall walk, he’s up but Naimov is on his back in a clinch. Some knees from Naimov as they get chest to chest. Ofli turns things just before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Naimov
ROUND TWO: They quickly clinch up and Naimov pushes things into the fence. Naimov lands a couple of punches as they break. They trade punches in close, both men landed pretty well in there. Ofli forces a clinch and pushes things to the fence. Ofli is looking for an outside trip but can’t find it. Naimov lands a knee to the body. Ofli looks to change levels and winds up on the back in the clinch. Naimov spins into him then has punches blocked as they break. Another clinch and Naimov trips Ofli down to land on top in half guard. Side control now for Naimov, nice little pass there. Ofli is working to wall walk, he’s able to regain his feet with Naimov on his back now. They jockey for position, Ofli can find a body lock but he can’t do anything with it. The ref breaks them up, he gave them plenty of time and warnings to actually work there. Ofli with a bit of a left hook. Naimov lands a couple of left hands to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Naimov, 20-18 Naimov overall
ROUND THREE: Naimov opens with a spinning kick in the third round. Bit of a jab from Naimov. Ofli is pressing forward, he tries to duck under a punch and level change but Naimov’s hips are too strong and he pushes him over to land in full mount. Elbows from Naimov now, he’s just unloading with them and Ofli gives up his back to avoid too many of them. Naimov starts fishing for a choke and goes to a body triangle for control. Some pretty good hand fighting from Ofli here. Naimov is slipping to one side, he’s going to try and transition to mount if Ofli works to spin into him. Ofli is able to fight to his feet but Naimov is still clinched with him. They break and trade in close, some nice body punches from Ofli in there. Ofli forces another clinch, not a winning strategy with 30 seconds left. Some punches from Ofli as they break. Naimov circles away for the last 10 seconds.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Naimov, 30-27 Naimov overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Muhammad Naimov via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Maybe Ofli stole the third with those late flurries? Not sure which round he might have gotten otherwise. No interview for Naimov as we’re out of time on the prelims.
Fares Ziam has gone 6-2 in the UFC and is on a four fight winning streak, most recently scoring a brutal knockout over Matt Frevola and if he can win here it could set up Ziam to make a run at ranked opposition soon. Mike Davis is also on a four fight winning streak and really these two are fighting to see which of them will be the first to make the jump from prospect to contender. Close one here, -140 on Davis to +120 for Ziam.
Lightweight Bout: Mike Davis (11-2, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Fares Ziam (16-4, 156 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Ziam is an inch taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They get close and Davis actually pulls guard pretty quickly. Ziam lands a few body punches. Davis wrestles up and tries a takedown against the fence but Ziam is defending. Again Davis pulls guard then tries to wrestle up on a single leg but Ziam disengages and they restart. Jabs from Ziam then Davis again pulls half guard. Ziam with hammer fists and moves to side control. Davis wrestles up but gets punched in the face as they clinch. Knees from Ziam as he’s got Davis on the fence. Spinning elbow from Ziam partially lands and they break. Bit of a jab from Ziam then he jabs the body as well. Left to the body then a right hand from Ziam. Davis misses a few slightly wild punches. Uppercut from Ziam, he’s fighting really well thus far. Left uppercut from Ziam. Jab from Ziam. Davis tries a takedown but Ziam defends then lands an elbow. Davis bulls forward and gets a clinch, hits a mat return from the back and then transitions to full mount. Ziam hip escapes to get half guard. Elbow from Davis. A few knees to the body from Davis. Ziam gets full guard just before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Ziam
ROUND TWO: Ziam back to jabbing as the round begins. Davis bulls forward and lands a punch then tries a takedown, Ziam defends though and they just clinch on the fence. A knee from Ziam lands. They fight for position on the fence, Ziam is landing a few body shots here and there then knees Davis in the head out of a Russian tie, that was nice. Davis is cut from that. Double leg slam from Ziam, Davis did land a nice elbow on the way down though. Some punches from Ziam, Davis is trying to tie up the legs though. Davis tries a heel hook but Ziam spins free only to get caught in a version of the calf slicer. Ziam is on his back now and Davis works from top half guard. Sweep from Ziam, his knee is all kinds of contorted as they scramble around. A few elbows to the body from Ziam. Davis tries to grab an arm triangle, he can’t finish it but does slip to full mount now. Again Ziam sweeps and stands over Davis now then lands punches. Ziam grabs a front headlock as Davis wrestles up then pushes Davis back over into half guard. More punches from Ziam, he tries his own arm triangle but wont find it so instead he drops some elbows to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Ziam but a close one, 20-18 Ziam overall
ROUND THREE: OK, that cut is on the cauliflower ear of Davis so it’s unpleasant but unless it gets a whole lot worse it wont stop anything. Davis works to move forward and both men land jabs. Right hand from Ziam. Ziam tries a double leg, that stalls on the fence though. Ziam adjusts to a high crotch lift and is able to trip Davis down into full guard. Some punches from Ziam. Davis tries to tie up with a de la Riva guard but Ziam passes to north-south and lands some body blows. Davis nearly gets the back, that was a slick attempt, but Ziam defends and lands a right hand. Ziam with an elbow, Davis tries to wrestle up from his knees but Ziam has an anaconda attack and uses it to push Davis over and get on top in half guard. Davis gets butterfly guard and is able to wrestle up into a clinch. Ziam pulls free and they reset. Jabs from Ziam then a left hook. Elbow from Ziam. Ziam tries a double leg, that hits the fence though and Davis is able to defend. Again Ziam switches to a high crotch and gets Davis down. Davis is bleeding again, I think that elbow got him leaking. Ziam drops a few elbows, Davis is able to tie up the legs and looks for a leg lock but Ziam pulls free so Davis moves to get on top in full guard. Elbow from Davis and Ziam is cut above the left eyebrow. They’ll end the round trading strikes on the mat.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Ziam but could go either way, 30-27 Ziam overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Fares Ziam via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Fun little fight there, and plenty of blood. Mic time for Ziam who is still bleeding from that cut at he corner of his left eyebrow, he plays with the crowd and speaks what I think is Farsi or some Arabic language. He notes this is the first cut he’s had, then talks us through some highlights.
Said Nurmagomedov has gone 5-1 in his last six fights and only lost to Jonathan Martinez, he’s coming off of a win and is looking to earn another fight with ranked opposition with a win. Vinicius Oliveira is on a four fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC, if he can get by Nurmagomedov here it could be him who gets the cracked at ranked opponents going forward. Nurmagomedov is the -180 favorite to +150 on Oliveira.
Bantamweight Bout: Said Nurmagomedov (18-3, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (21-3, 135 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Oliveira is an inch taller with half of an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Oliveira. Nurmagomedov with an inside leg kick but Oliveira lands a left hand. Both men are showing a few stance switches now as they avoid kicks. Calf kick from Nurmagomedov. A spinning back kick from Nurmagomedov connects, Oliveira ducked into that one and drops but bounces up pretty quickly. Nurmagomedov avoids a takedown and threatens a ninja choke but Oliveira is able to fight free from that. Calf kick from Nurmagomedov. Oliveira keeps moving forward, he ducks under a spinning back fist and tries a takedown, Nurmagomedov wrestles up on a single leg though. They wind up wrestling on the fence, Oliveira has Nurmagomedov on the cage. Knee from Oliveira. Nurmagomedov tries a ninja choke again and that gets Oliveira to break. Looks like Nurmagomedov took a bit of an eye poke in that exchange but he doesn’t take too long to get back to fighting. Oliveira apologizes on the restart. Bit of a right hand from Oliveira. They bang heads in close, then Nurmagomedov tries a flying knee which partially lands but Oliveira takes him down off of that into full guard. Not much going on here, Oliveira eventually scrambles to pass and moves to the ride position. Nurmagomedov wall walks and lands a couple of back elbows as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Nurmagomedov but a close one
ROUND TWO: Nurmagomedov is able to land a bit of a head kick. Spinning back kick from Oliveira then a calf kick. Nurmagomedov ducks a punch and tries a double leg, that hits the fence though and things look to stall just a bit. They start jockeying for position then Nurmagomedov lands a knee as they break. Oliveira checks a body kick. Bit of a right from Nurmagomedov, Oliveira responds with a high kick then hits a takedown into full guard. Nurmagomedov wall walks and they trade in the clinch then break. Spinning back kick from Nurmagomedov connects. Bit of a body kick from Nurmagomedov. Oliveira keeps stalking forward and they trade in close. Nurmagomedov looks to be slowing just a bit and Oliveira is still looking to keep the pace pretty high. Double leg from Nurmagomedov but Olivera bounces up with Nurmagomedov on his back. Double leg from Nurmagomedov but again Oliveira bounces up into a clinch and lands some elbows. They break as Oliveira misses a punch. Left hand from Oliveira, this pace is really getting to Nurmagomedov. They’re both fatiguing a bit. Nurmagomedov lands a body kick. Oliveira just keeps coming forward and hits the body then lands a glancing high kick. Bit of a right to the body from Oliveira to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Oliveira but another close one, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Both men come out swinging, Oliveira off balances Nurmagomedov and gets on top in full guard. Oliveira lands a few punches to the body and head. Nurmagomedov looks to wrestle up on a single leg, Oliveira lands some elbows while defending and looking to spin to the back. Ultimately Oliveira passes to half guard and they wrestle around again, Oliveira grabs at a d’arce choke, the angle is off but the arm position is good. Nurmagomedov is able to defend but Oliveira lands strikes as he stands over Nurmagomedov. They scramble up and free. Front kick from Nurmagomedov. Oliveira with a calf kick, he’s still moving forward and lands a glancing left hand. Right hand from Oliveira. Nurmagomedov is fading now and Oliveira lands a spinning back kick. Spinning back fist from Nurmagomedov but Oliveira is landing body blows in close. Nurmagomedov lands a head kick, Oliveira just ignores it and then sprawls on a takedown attempt. Oliveira looks to spin to the back, Nurmagomedov wrestles on a single leg but Oliveira is landing blows and defending. Ultimately Oliveira gets on top in half guard as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Oliveira but again close, 29-28 Oliveira overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Vinicius Oliveira via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Fun little fight. Mic time for Oliveira and the translator, he mentions he came in with a minor rib injury and it got worse in the fight and almost canceled the fight because of the injury but he fought through it. He wants to fight Umar Nurmagomedov next, that seems unlikely. He talks about knowing Nurmagomedov faded after the first and he had to gut through the injury and he still dreams of becoming UFC champion then puts over his coaches.
Sergei Pavlovich fought for the interim title in 2023 but came up short against Tom Asplinall and then lost to Alexander Volkov last year, he’s still highly ranked but really needs to get back on the winning side of things. Jairzinho Rozenstruik has gone 3-3 in his last six fights but he is on a two fight winning streak and if he can get by Pavlovich it might put him into the general title orbit for the first time. The odds like Pavlovich at -290 against a +235 Rozenstruik comeback.
Heavyweight Bout: #4 Sergei Pavlovich (18-3, 249 lbs.) vs. #9 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (15-5, 252 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Pavlovich is an inch taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Both men probe with the lead hand early. Bit of an inside leg kick from Rozenstruik. Right hand from Pavlovich. Bit of a body kick from Rozenstruik. Another right from Pavlovich then they both miss punches in close. Both men with feinting but not much going on. Pavlovich lands a glancing right hand. Bit of a calf kick from Rozenstruik. Pavlovich with a jab. One two from Pavlovich staggers Rozenstruik for a second. A glancing right from Pavlovich then he kind of bulls over Rozenstruik and gets on top in half guard with a minute left. A few punches from Pavlovich land but there’s not a lot on them. The round ends with Pavlovich still on top.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pavlovich
ROUND TWO: Both men back to feinting a bit. Rozenstruik avoids a leg kick. They both miss punches. Both men miss left hooks, not a lot going on here this round. Jab from Rozenstruik. Pavlovich lands a right hand. The ref even warns them to actually start doing things. A right from Pavlovich lands then he gets a takedown into half guard. Some short elbows from Pavlovich but there’s not much on them. Man Pavlovich’s ground and pound leaves a lot to be desired. Rozenstruik seems content to just hold on and defend, he’s not even trying to build up and regain his feet. The round ends in that spot.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pavlovich, 20-18 Pavlovich overall
ROUND THREE: Both men back to showing some hands but not really landing. Rozenstruik lands a jab. They trade left hooks in close. Bit of a jab from Pavlovich. Stiff left hook from Pavlovich bothers Rozenstruik, then they tie up and he takes him down into half guard. A few body blows from Pavlovich. There’s some impressive backne on Pavlovich now that I’ve gotten a long chance to keep looking at it. A few body shots from Pavlovich but once again, he’s struggling to really get ground and pound going. Rozenstruik is trying to wall walk now with less than a minute left, Pavlovich punches him a few times along the way. Once they’re up they break cleanly. Again they both swing left hooks. Both men swing a bit in close but no one lands cleanly as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pavlovich, 30-27 Pavlovich overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sergei Pavlovich via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Well once again the heavyweight’s have mostly sucked, no interview for the winner.
Shara Magomedov is undefeated including four UFC wins, if he can get another win here he’ll be on his way to moving from prospect to contender. Michael Page has gone 1-1 in the UFC and most recently lost to Ian Garry, now he’s moving to middleweight for the first time since 2013 and is also looking to unseat one of the budding promotional golden boys. Moderately close on the odds here, -220 on Magomedov to +180 on Page.
Middleweight Bout: #14 Shara Magomedov (15-0, 185 lbs.) vs. Michael Page (22-3, 185.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Page is an inch taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Both men open orthodox but that will probably change around. Page shows some lead leg kicks early. Leg kicks go back and forth. Bit of a jab from Page. Magomedov tries a high kick, doesn’t really land. Right hand from Page then he shoves Magomedov over but doesn’t follow him down. Glancing right from Page then they clinch up. They break without incident. Inside leg kicks are traded. Page with a right to the body. One two from Page. Both men have started showing stance switches, Page mostly orthodox though. Magomedov lands a side kick. Page avoids a combination. Bit of a left hook from Page. Wheel kick from Page lands, Magomedov just eats it but that landed flush to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Page
ROUND TWO: Page with a right hand to start the round. Magomedov misses a left hook. Bit of a right from Page but Magomedov did land a body kick which prompted that blitz. Magomedov avoids a wheel kick. Page with a jab. Magomedov avoids a jumping back kick. Bit of a right from Page and they clinch up then break. Side kick from Magomedov. Page lands a jab. Another right from Page. Magomedov lands a leg kick but that’s been pretty much his only offense all fight thus far. Jumping knee from Page partially lands then he lands a left hand. Another jab from Page. Body jab from Page. Bit of a left hook from Page and he avoids a counter. Magomedov avoids an elbow. Page lands a jab. They tie up and Page pushes Magomedov into the fence. Page is getting the better of the clinch, positionally then he lands an elbow as they break. That’ll be the last action of the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Page, 20-18 Page overall
ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Leg kick from Magomedov. Page lands a stiff jab. They trade inside leg kicks. Another jab from Page, Magomedov just has no feel for the distance or timing that Page is bringing. Right hand from Page, he’s sniping at this point. Both men avoid punches in close. They clinch then Page lands an elbow on the break. One two from Page, Magomedov then lands a bit of a knee. Page glides away from some Magomedov offense then lands a left hook. Flying knee from Page lands then they clinch, Magomedov’s chin is actually impressive. They trade a few knees in the clinch but nothing really significant. Magomedov lands a knee to the body then eats an elbow as Page slips free. Knee then elbow from Page. Bit of a left hook exchange. Page lands a body kick, Magomedov tries to counter with punches but can’t really land. Right hand from Page. Magomedov misses a high kick. Page slips on a wheel kick but lands a few up kicks before Magomedov goes into his guard. Bit of a triangle attack from Page to close out the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Page but the closest, 30-27 Page overall but I feel like they’re going to screw him on this one
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Michael Page via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Good on the judges getting that one right. Mic time for Page, he thanks the fans for being here and having him then puts over Saudi Arabia as a host country. He tells everyone that he’s the captain now, timely reference there buddy. He puts over Magomedov as a guy who will do amazing things, then when asked about the future he plans on going back to welterweight and warns everyone that he’s going to be a problem for them.
Israel Adesanya is the second greatest middleweight champion the UFC has ever had, he’s a two time champion in the division and has been so successful in that respect that this fight is his first non-title fight since he fought Anderson Silva back in 2019. Adesanya is on a two fight losing streak though and if he wants to lay claim to another crack at the title he can ill afford another loss here. Nassourdine Imavov has a solid UFC record of 7-2 with 1 No Contest, most recently he’s on a three fight winning streak which has resulted in this fight. This represents the biggest fight of his career by a fair margin and a win over a fighter with the resume of Adesanya would be the biggest to date without question. This one is pretty close, -155 on Adesanya to +130 for Imavov.
Middleweight Bout: #2 Israel Adesanya (24-4, 185 lbs.) vs. #5 Nassourdine Imavov (15-4 1 NC, 185 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Adesanya is an inch taller with five inches of reach advantage. Adesanya opens orthodox but will do a lot of stance switching. Some early kicks from Adesanya out of both stances. Imavov lands a calf kick. Calf kick from Adesanya. Adesanya with an inside leg kick. They trade left hooks in close. Jab from Adesanya, Imavov looks for a takedown against the fence but can’t find it and then they wrestle around before breaking. Bit of a left hand from Adesanya. Calf kick from Adesanya. Imavov avoids a left hand and clinches but can’t keep it. Adesanya lands a left to the body. Body kick from Adesanya. Imavov misses a couple of punches then eats a counter right. Adesanya lands a calf kick, he’s fighting really well thus far. They clinch, knee from Adesanya then they break. Adesanya lands another calf kick. Imavov lands a really nice uppercut then a follow up punch against the fence. Adesanya defends a takedown against the fence then spins free. Imavov avoids some lead hand work. Adesanya closes the round with a body kick.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Adesanya
ROUND TWO: A few calf kicks from Adesanya start the round. Bit of a body kick from Adesanya. Imavov lands a right hand that badly hurts Adesanya, then he drops him with a left and lands enough follow up blows on the ground the prompt the stoppage.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nassourdine Imavov via TKO, punches, at :03 of Round 2
Mic time for Imavov and the translator after that one, he puts over Adesanya as a legend then notes he feels really good and wants to fight for the belt next. Next seems a tad unlikely but he couldn’t have made his case any better than he just did in the cage. He puts over his coaches and family for their support and talks about the importance of being surrounded by good people. To close he dedicates the win to his brother then reiterates he wants the next title shot after all of his work last year and starting this year so good.
NASSOURDINE IMAVOV GETS THE BIGGEST KO OF HIS CAREER pic.twitter.com/5ncZW5qPdG
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) February 1, 2025
Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 108 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking the fallout from this event and looking ahead to UFC 312 next week with two title fights and almost nothing else supporting it as being worth PPV. I’ll be back next week for that event and I hope you will as well, until then thank you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.
