Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has set his sights on undefeated star Khamzat Chimaev, following the Chechen fighter’s dominant victory over Robert Whittaker in October.

Adesanya, who is preparing for his upcoming fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia on February 1, admitted he was impressed by Chimaev’s performance.

“I was surprised by the way Khamzat ran through Rob, that was crazy. That made me want to fight him. I was like, ‘okay, this guy’s actually really, really good,’” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel.

Chimaev, who remains undefeated at 14-0, has built a reputation for finishing most of his opponents in the first round, though he has fought only four times in the past two years due to health issues.

A victory over seventh-ranked Imavov could place Adesanya in line for a potential number-one contender match against Chimaev, further adding fuel to the fire for a future showdown.

Adesanya, known as ‘The Last Stylebender,’ will headline UFC’s first-ever event in Saudi Arabia at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.

This will be the 35-year-old’s first non-title bout since his win over Anderson Silva in February 2019.

The Nigerian-New Zealander enters this bout on the back of two consecutive losses—first to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 in August and then to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023.

Despite these setbacks, Adesanya remains one of the UFC’s biggest stars with a 24-4 record, including 16 knockout victories.

Imavov, a rising contender, is on a three-fight win streak, having defeated Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze in his recent bouts.

A win for Adesanya could propel him closer to a potential third reign as middleweight champion, with possible rematches against Strickland or du Plessis also looming on the horizon.

The showdown with Chimaev could be a defining chapter in Adesanya’s storied career.