Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya endured his third straight defeat and second career knockout loss on Saturday night, falling to Nassourdine Imavov via second-round TKO in the main event of UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia.

The Nigerian-born New Zealander was aiming to bounce back from consecutive losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis but was halted by the surging French contender. Adesanya had early success with low kicks, but Imavov rocked him late in the first round with a shovel hook and a powerful right hand.

The fight ended early in the second round when Imavov dropped Adesanya with a massive right hand, followed by an uppercut and ground strikes, prompting referee Marc Goddard to stop the bout.

Adesanya, 35, had played down concerns about his future before the fight, stating he would always be in the title picture. However, this defeat marks his first non-title fight in six years, leaving questions about his next move. His record now stands at 24 wins (16 KOs) and five losses.

For Imavov (15-4), the win is the biggest of his career, potentially positioning him for a title shot after previous victories over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier, and Brendan Allen.

Adesanya recently joked about becoming a “gatekeeper,” fueling speculation about what lies ahead for the former champion.