Athletes
Middleweight Division Takes Center Stage In February
A Title Fight, Three Main Events And Several Key Matchups Litter February And Could Shake Up The Middleweight Division In A Big Way
A bright start to 2025 in the Octagon trained most of the focus on the lightweight division, but in February, the middleweight class takes center stage. Not only does the belt go up for grabs in a hotly anticipated rematch at UFC 312, but the month also includes two other main event slots for 185ers, as well as a couple other intriguing and important matchups in the division’s rankings.
The middleweight action gets started in Riyadh on February 1 featuring arguably the signature fighter from the weight class at present not named Du Plessis.
Order UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2
Former two-time champion Israel Adesanya finds himself in unfamiliar territory heading into his headliner against Nassourdine Imavov. The bout is not only his first non-title fight in about six years, but “The Last Stylebender” is in must-win territory. The 35-year-old is coming off back-to-back losses and three total in his last four fights. Despite his pedigree, he very much needs a victory if he hopes to get a rematch against whoever comes away from Sydney with the belt. He has a tall task in Imavov, who had a breakout 2024. The Paris-based athlete went 3-0 last year with wins over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen, and the 29-year-old is keen to prove it’s his time to challenge for the title. Depending on UFC 312, he could also be seeking revenge.
State of the Middleweight Division | January 2025
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State of the Middleweight Division | January 2025
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Before the main event in Riyadh, Shara “Bullet” Magomedov makes his return to the Octagon in a thrilling co-main event against Michael “Venom” Page. Magomedov is coming off the best win of his career, a stunning double-backfist knockout of Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308. The win gave “Bullet” his fourth in the Octagon, stretched his spotless record to 15-0 and earned him his third consecutive performance bonus. He gets a high-profile and exciting test for his first bout of 2025 in the form of “MVP.”
The 37-year-old Page made a long-anticipated Octagon debut in March 2024 with a decision win over Kevin Holland, but his momentum halted when Ian Machado Garry defeated him at UFC 303. In what Page described as a “one-off,” he is moving up to middleweight for just his second fight at 185 pounds to try and hand Magomedov his first loss. The two dynamic strikers are surely going to light up Saudi Arabia with their creativity and flair.
UFC SAUDI ARABIA: The Evolution of Israel Adesanya | Rise of Nassourdine Imavov
In Australia, Du Plessis returns to the country of his finest triumph: a submission win over Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth. The South African brawler’s first title defense featured all his signature traits: grit, toughness, power and finishing instinct. If he wishes to kickstart a real run as champion, however, he needs to settle business with Strickland. Du Plessis’ split decision win to take the belt off Strickland at UFC 297 was not without debate, so a definitive result is of utmost importance when the two lock horns on February 8.
Strickland, who was not the most title-focused fighter in the world two years ago, was hellbent on getting a title shot after losing the belt in January 2024. When an immediate rematch wasn’t granted, he simply went to work. In a five-round co-main event against Paulo Costa, Strickland outworked the marauding Brazilian and pleaded his case for another shot at Du Plessis. The timing worked out in a way, as Strickland returns to the city where he won the belt in a upset victory over Adesanya at UFC 293.
In the aftermath of the title fight, middleweights stay in the spotlight as the Octagon returns to the UFC APEX. Cannonier is back in action, hoping to put a disappointing 2024 campaign behind him as he opens the door to Gregory Rodrigues, who competes in his first UFC main event. Heading into 2024, Cannonier was in the thick of the title picture after scoring back-to-back main event wins over Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori. However, consecutive headlining losses to Imavov and Caio Borralho dented his title hopes in a big way, and now, the 40-year-old must turn away an up-and-comer in his third attempt.
UFC SAUDI ARABIA FREE FIGHTS: Adesanya vs Whittaker 2 | Imavov vs Allen | Page vs Holland | Magomedov vs Petrosyan
Rodrigues quickly established himself as must-watch TV since making his UFC debut in June 2021. The 32-year-old Brazilian has made a habit of coming from behind in dramatic fashion, most notably in knockout wins over Jun-Yong Park and Chidi Njokuani. Losses to Armen Petrosyan and Brunno Ferreira stymied his momentum, but “RoboCop” collected three consecutive wins from August 2023 to July 2024, and he now gets the biggest opportunity of his career. A win on February 15 could launch him from outside of the rankings to the Top 10.
Finally, in the last event of the month, UFC returns to Seattle for the first time since 2013. Although bantamweights feature in the main and co-main events, a critical middleweight bout is wedged in the main card, as Brendan Allen looks to get back to the good against the scorching hot Anthony “Hernandez.
To put more spice on the matchup, the bout is a rematch dating back to the pair’s days on the regional scene. The first bout between the two came under the LFA banner in January 2018 when Hernandez won the promotion’s middleweight belt in a five-round decision. The pair had a total of 14 pro MMA bouts to their names at that point. Now, with both entrenched in the Top 15, they collide to cement themselves as the Top 10 threat to watch for in 2025.
Allen had buckets of momentum heading into 2024 and scored a main event win against Chris Cutis in April. However, Imavov snapped his seven-fight winning streak in Paris, where Allen seemed a bit flat. A win in Seattle, though, could put “All In” back on track as he tries to climb the division’s ladder. On the other hand, Hernandez is one of the hottest fighters outside the Top 10 in any division. The Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus turned things around in a big way after registering a 1-2 record with one no contest in his first four trips to the Octagon. Fluffy” has won six fights on the bounce, including five finishes, and most recently got his hand raised in his first main event against Michel Pereira in October 2024.
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The matchup should feature fascinating grappling exchanges, as the two boast 22 submissions between them, and they’ve shown increased comfort on the feet, as well. While the winner may not get a title shot immediately, they’ll set themselves up for a shot at one of the bigger names in the division midway through 2025.
It’s a fun time in the middleweight division heading into February 2025. The championship carousel stopped for the time being thanks to Du Plessis, but the stability of his title run will come under fire in a big way. Regardless of who wins, the 185-pound deck is getting shuffled in a big way, and the action should be thrilling all month long.
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!