UFC: Adesanya taking positive mindset into Imavov fight

Israel Adesanya is not concerned about his recent performances in the UFC, despite heading into his clash against Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia this Sunday (AEDT) riding a two-fight losing streak for the first time in his career.

The Nigeria-born Kiwi has three losses in his past four bouts, most recently going down to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis in title fights.

But the middleweight insists he will not be approaching Saturday’s fight against Imavov any differently and is simply focused on the task at hand.

“I’m just going in there ready to dominate,” Adesanya said in an interview earlier this week.

“I’m not thinking I don’t want another loss.

“That’s a weird way to frame it because I’m just thinking of what I don’t want. I’m in that frequency.

“No, I have not been thinking that.

“I’m just going to go in there and do what I do, do my best.

“I know what I am when I’m at my best.”

Adesanya’s only victory since 2022 came in his rematch clash against Alex Pereira in April 2023.

“When I fought Alex in Miami I had that ‘I have to win’ mindset,” he said.

“I wasn’t saying I can’t lose. I was saying I have to win.

“Again, it’s a flip because you’re tapping into that. ‘Oh I can’t lose, I can’t lose.’ Your brain just recognises ‘lose, lose, lose.’

“So when I fought Alex for the f***ing fourth time, I was just telling myself, ‘I have to win. I have to win.’ I was like, ‘Win. Win.’

“It’s just a different way of looking at things.”

Heading into UFC Saudi Arabia as a -188.68 favourite at BetOnline, Adesanya says he feels no pressure and will be adopting a similar mindset to his most recent Pereira fight.

“There’s not really pressure,” he said.

“I put pressure on myself when I get out there or when I get out to Saudi Arabia.

“When it comes down to the fight itself, I don’t feel too much pressure.

“Because there’s no belt on the line but in the same breath, it feels like a title fight because you’re fighting me and it’s five rounds.

“I still train for five rounds. Not really much has changed in that aspect.”

Adesanya to win by decision is the favoured method of victory, paying +125 with top UFC betting sites.

Imavov getting through on the judges’ cards is also a distinct possibility, however, with the Frenchman returning +360 to win by decision — the second-shortest odds in the method-of-victory market.

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