It’s always a memorable moment when the Octagon travels to a new place in the world. That was the feeling last June when UFC touched down in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time. It wasn’t easy to get there, as Ikram Aliskerov stepped in to face to Robert Whittaker in the main event when Khamzat Chimaev had to withdraw due to health reasons.
Next week, the Octagon returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the second time with a stacked card headlined by former middleweight Israel Adesanya and rising contender Nassourdine Imavov. Before we get there, let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the last time we were in Saudi Arabia.
Felipe Lima Steps Onto The Scene

Felipe Lima stepped in on short notice to face Muhammad Naimov and he made it count.
Heading into the third round, the scorecards were all over the place, with one having Lima up, another having things tied and the final scorecard having Naimov in the lead. Lima’s coach gave him the classic corner pep talk to fire his pupil up as he entered the last five minutes of competition. And it worked.
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“Jungle Boy” was able to secure a rear-naked choke in the third round, forcing Naimov to tap. It marked Lima’s 13th consecutive win and put him on a lot of people’s radar of prospects to watch.
Volkan Oezdemir Knocks Out Johnny Walker

Volkan Oezdemir got the party started early in Saudi Arabia as he earned a first-round knockout over Johnny Walker less than three minutes into the fight.
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There was a little back and forth between Oezdemir and Walker, as the Brazilian landed his fair share of leg kicks, but when Oezdemir landed a left hand followed up by another shot, it sent Walker to the canvas, ending the fight.
Oezdemir earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts and kicked off the first main card in Saudi Arabia in style, marking his second win in a row.
Robert Whittaker Gets It Done Early

Whittaker made a statement in his fight against Aliskerov, locking in the win in less than two minutes.
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No one does it quite like “The Reaper,” and he made that clear when the Octagon door shut behind him. It was his first finish since 2017, and it was a good one. The former middleweight champion left the judges out of it this time as he landed a one-two, followed by a right that immediately sent Aliskerov down, and as Whittaker followed up with an uppercut, the fight was called to a halt.
UFC’s first time in The Kingdom did not disappoint, and middleweights once again have a chance to steal the show when they step in the Octagon again next Saturday inside anb Arena.
UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Imavov took place live from anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 1, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!