What’s up fight fans! We are headed to the Middle East for this weekends card as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia hosts an amazing fight night line up! We have a 6 fight main card to break down, headlined by The Last Style-bender Israel Adesanya! Let’s get into it!

For the opening fight of the night, we head to the featherweight division.

MUHAMMAD NAIMOV V KAAN OFLI 

Not the most dazzling opener to a card, but both guys come into the fight off the back of a loss. So these guys will both want to get back in the W column quick. This is very much your classic strike v grappler match up. If Naimov can avoid the takedowns and get his striking going to keep Ofli at bay, I think he wins this one comfortably. I expect the first round to be the one where Ofli will do his best work. But if doesn’t secure the take down early, I expect Naimov to strike and move his way to a win on the judges scorecards. Maybe even a late stoppage. Plus we all know how much judges in the Middle East like fighters with OV at the end of their names.

PICK – Muhammad Naimov to win.

Next to the cage is two lightweight bangers! I love this fight! Strikers will strike! What’s not to love!

FARES ZIAM V MIKE DAVIS.

Fares Ziam makes the walk fresh off a fantastic stoppage win against Matt Frevola in Paris. He is currently riding a four fight win streak. Ziam is a kick-boxer, and he’s got excellent combos and uses his reach well. Watch out for his knees too. This kid can strike.

Mike Davis has gone 4-0 since losing his debut to Gilbert Burns. No shame in losing to Burns. Mike Davis has the better ground game here, but I aren’t sure it will come into it. Davis loves to fight. A carries power in both his fists. The betting line on this fight has come in to nearly a pick ‘em. Ziam has had heavy money bet on him. Which is great news for me, as I think as good as Ziam is, Davis is better. I don’t think this is a good match up for Ziam. Davis will pressure him. He won’t like that. Take Davis to get it done.

PICK – Mike Davis to win.

Fight number 3! It’s all about the Bantamweights!

SAID NURMAGOMEDOV V VINCIUS OLIVEIRA.

Is it really a card in the Middle East if someone with the name Nurmagomedov on the card? This time we get Said. Who oddly enough doesn’t training with his families team led by Khabib. Said is certainly the more striking based of the fighting family. He’s got a great guilotine choke. But his take down game isn’t anything amazing. He’s been taken down more in the UFC, than he’s landed takedowns.

Oliveira is very similar, and has a solid submission game. But his real prowess is his dynamic striking. Overall I think he’s the better striker here, so it surprised me to see him as an underdog. It might not be like that come fight time. His biggest worry is the judges, as if this goes the distance and is close. All 3 will give it to the guy with OV at the end of his name. Trust me. That stat is like 13-0 with the judges in the Middle East. So at 135 pounds I have to side with the corruption. Lol.

PICK – Said Nurmagomedov to win.

Now we get into the really big fights of the card. Hold on to your seat. Heavyweights are next on duty!

JAIR ROZENSTRUIK V SERGEI PAVLOVICH

Sergei Pavlovich was looking like an absolute monster before his last 2 fights. But since Tom Aspinall knocked him out, and Volkov picked him apart, has his aura gone? For me. It definitely has. If he can’t get Jair out in the 1st round, he’s not winning this fight.

Because Jair Rozenstruik is a really good kick-boxer, has power of his own, and can be quite elusive if he’s on his game. He’s definitely got the grappling upside too. So if this gets past 1, I see a similar outcome to the Volkov fight. Jair will pop and move to take the last 2 rounds and win a decision. It’s brave to back against someone with Sergei’s power. But I can’t confidently back him as an overpriced favourite.

PICK – Jair Rozenstruik to win.

It’s time for the CO MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! This could well be fight of the night!

MICHAEL VENOM PAGE V SHARA BULLET MAGOMEDOV.

If you’re reading this, chances are you know all about both these guys. But just in case you need me to tell them apart, the guy called Bullet is the dude with only one eye! Yes you read that right. But amazingly this guy doesn’t let it stop him being an elite striker.

Michael Venom Page is a great striker too. He’s got elite KO power, and has a really tough style to face. Bouncing around the cage karate style, throwing shots from every angle possible. He’s hard not to like for his fighting style alone.

Ive flip flopped all week on this one. Shara Bullet should if he has any sense at all, use his grappling advantage. Because Page doesn’t have a ground game. But Shara’s ego might not let him. He will probably want to prove he’s the better striker. Page has almost goaded him to stand and trade. Partly cos he knows he can’t win it on the ground. If it stays on the feet it super intriguing to see how it pans out. But I just think Shara will do enough to win, and take a decision win. Which will lead to a fight next time, against the winner of tonight’s Main Event.

PICK – Shara Bullet to win.

MAIN EVENT FIRE FIGHT INCOMING!

ISRAEL ADESANYA V NASSOURDINE IMAVOV.

How strange is it seeing Israel Adesanya on a fight night card? Or even more so, not in a title fight? It’s being something like 6 years since that later ones happened. His opponent Imavov comes into this off the back of a main event slot win in Paris last time out. If the co-main event isn’t fight of the night, then this one will be!!

It’s been an odd run for Izzy. Since he knocked out Alex Pereira he’s lost his last 2. A upset loss to Sean Strickland, and a KO loss to middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis in his last fight. So a lot of people will be writing the former champ off this weekend.

Imavov is a good fighter, but unless Izzy has dropped off hugely, he isn’t winning this one. People forget this guy lost to Phil Hawes back in 2021. An yes it’s 4 years back. But my god that’s not a good luck for anyone wanting to mix with the elite of the division. He’s had some good wins since then, but whilst he’s a good striker and can move well. I’m amazed people are glazing him so hard this week. Maybe it’s the OV factor.

I expect an angry pissed off Izzy on fight night. He won’t like been on a fight night card no matter what he says. For me, Izzy is going sniper Imavov on the feet. Pick him apart at will. Picking up a late stoppage win or a unanimous decision on the scorecards. Remember, 2 fights ago Izzy beat the 205 champion convincingly. Imavov was getting battered by Sean Strickland. Theirs levels. Imavov isn’t it. The Return of the last style bender is where it’s at.

PICK – Israel Adesanya to win.

Enjoy the violence ya filthy animals!

Phil @PPDSPORTS for Fight Bananas Official.