Israel Adesanya was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov in the second round of UFC Fight Night 250 on Saturday.
What happened?
Imavov landed a lightning-fast precision punch with his right hand, signaling the beginning of the end of the fight.
The 30-year-old Frenchman, nicknamed "The Sniper", lived up to his name, finishing the fight with a vicious left uppercut as Adesanya stumbled to the canvas.
Referee Marc Goddard gave Adesanya a chance to recover, but as Imavov continued to rain down blows, the referee waved off the fight.
Why it matters for Israel Adesanya
This loss impacts Adesanya's chances of regaining the middleweight title, which he lost to Alex Pereira in November 2022.
Adesanya was attempting to kick-start another run for the belt, but this defeat sets him back, with Imavov now calling for a title shot against the winner of the rematch between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland.
What comes next?
Imavov, with a record of 16-4, 1 NC MMA, has put his name in the title picture, and his next fight could be for the middleweight championship.
Adesanya, nicknamed "Stylebender", started well, landing heavy kicks to the body, but the tide turned sharply in favor of Imavov, who proved to be the better striker.
The event took place on Saturday, with Imavov's victory marking a significant upset in the UFC middleweight division, and Adesanya's loss raising questions about his future in the sport.
Post-fight reaction
Imavov called for a middleweight title shot, stating, "I think there's no doubt I'm worth fighting for the belt," citing his four victories in one year, including two top-five and two top-10 wins.
Commentator John Gooden described the knockout as "unbelievable", saying, "One shot to kill a legend."
The co-main event saw England's Michael "Venom" Page score a unanimous decision win over Shara Magomedov, handing the Russian middleweight his first professional MMA loss.
The UFC middleweight division continues to be highly competitive, with several fighters vying for the title, and Adesanya's loss to Imavov has added another layer of complexity to the championship picture.