Arya News - A marathon of high-stakes MMA, a mega-watt boxing clash, along with pro wrestling’s singular greatest in-ring gala going off right in between? Welcome to the first-ever Uncrowned Saturday!
Welcome to a monster day of combat sports here on Yahoo Sports! (Photos: Getty Images, WWE. Design: Bruno Rouby, Yahoo Sports.)
Every now and then, a day in prizefighting sneaks up out of nowhere and just sort of rules. The kind of day you make sure the fridge is full, all the errands have already been run and the clicker is fixed up with new batteries.
That’s what is happening today. It’s a marathon of high-stakes MMA, a mega-watt boxing clash, along with pro wrestling’s singular greatest in-ring gala going off right in between. We have dubbed this special occasion Uncrowned Saturday, as it hits the entire wheelhouse of our coverage spectrum at Uncrowned — a perfect trifecta of roped-off, caged-in fights and entertainment sprinting down the walkway.
First it’s UFC Saudi Arabia, which features the great Israel Adesanya in his mojo-check fight with Nassourdine Imavov, as well as striker’s delight between Shara “Bullet” Magomedov and Michael “Venom” Page. Pure theater in the Middle East. Then it’s the WWE’s 38th annual Royal Rumble, the greatest wrestling free-for-all to happen each year. And finally, to cap things off, there’s the colossal bad-blood title fight between the undefeated David Benavidez and the undefeated David Morrell Jr.
It"s not David versus Goliath, it’s David versus David — and somebody’s 0 has got to go.
There are times in the fight game when worlds collide. Sometimes magic overlaps — and sometimes it stretches into a perfect triple feature. In the NBA, you get Christmas Day coverage from morning until late into the night. In the NFL, the first Sunday of the year is like a national holiday for fans, bettors and barkeeps. For the 2025 combat calendar, we get the first of February.
Below is a guide to this mammoth whopper of a day. Uncrowned has you covered from the first fights in Saudi Arabia all the way through the 175-pound title fight between Benavidez-Morrell on PBC on Prime.
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Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov kick off the festivities Saturday with UFC Saudi Arabia. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
UFC Saudi Arabia
What: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
When: Prelims begin at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN+, main card begins at 12 p.m. ET
Where: Uncrowned"s live round-by-round coverage and highlights for the entire card
Why: Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Adesanya is one of the most decorated fighters of his era, but at age 35, coming off the first losing streak of his Hall of Fame worthy MMA career, is his time atop the mountain finally over? Streaking French contender Nassourdine Imavov aims to wrest that baton from "The Last Stylebender" at any cost in a pivotal battle of competing momentums.
Everything you need to know:
Israel Adesanya as a gatekeeper? At UFC Saudi Arabia, the writing on the wall becomes more legible — one way or another. "I still remember Uncrowned"s own Ariel Helwani telling the story that the first time he texted Adesanya to ask him to come onto his show, the response Izzy shot back was: "I’ve been expecting you.""
A Dagestani in Paris: Nassourdine Imavov’s quiet path of destruction. "There’s a country behind him. The one that introduced him to fighting. Coinciding with Imavov’s current run is the emergence of France as MMA’s new hotbed. Imavov was treated as a hero for his victory in the heart of Paris in September. Should Imavov overcome Adesanya, the French will have another reason to make a scene."
Michael Page throws down the gauntlet at UFC Saudi Arabia. "[Shara Magomedov] is going to be too stubborn to shoot [takedowns], because if he shoots, he"s never going to hear the end of it. For the rest of his career, [it"ll be] that one time "MVP" made you shoot."
UFC Saudi Arabia odds and predictions. "We"ve entered strange territory with Adesanya. Despite losing two in a row, his losses don"t tell the whole story — his latest to current champion Dricus du Plessis, in particular."
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John Cena"s retirement tour begins Saturday with the 2025 Royal Rumble. (WWE/Getty Images)
WWE Royal Rumble 2025
What: Two Royal Rumbles (men"s and women"s), plus WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens
When: 7 p.m. ET on Peacock
Where: Uncrowned"s live blog, results, highlights and post-match grades from the entire event
Why: Professional wrestling"s most chaotic and fun event to follow for casual observers, the annual WWE Royal Rumble features 60 wrestlers — 30 men and 30 women — competing in dueling battle royals, with the two winners earning coveted positions in championship matches at WrestleMania 41 this April. A buffet of nostalgia, mayhem and viral surprises, the Rumble is one of WWE"s most beloved and enduring gimmicks, and one fact remains true year after year — you never really know who"s going to show up.
Everything you need to know:
Royal Rumble 2025 predictions roundtable: Who wins WWE"s golden ticket to WrestleMania 41? "There’s simply no match that generates the level of excitement, unpredictability and long-term booking possibilities that the Royal Rumble does. While WrestleMania may be the grandest stage, the Rumble remains the most thrilling night of the year."
How 37 years of bedlam led WWE to the deepest Rumble yet. "They"ve created a situation where there are more potential Royal Rumble winners than ever, and it’s possible the reasons others don’t win could tell even greater stories down the road. WWE has never had so many talents so many talents in position to lead."
20 most iconic WWE Royal Rumble moments. "It’s the moment many of us have watched countless times in the years since — and perhaps the most surprising Royal Rumble return in modern history. The iconic Rumble buzzer, followed by the telltale "You think you know me" — and one of the loudest crowd responses ever caught on film."
Ranking potential surprise Royal Rumble 2025 entrants, from Randy Orton to Bad Bunny. "Sure, adding one of the world’s most in-demand musicians brings somewhat of a logistical challenge. But the three-time Grammy winner set tongues wagging when he hinted at a future WWE return earlier this month. Given the potential reach of the Netflix deal, WWE may move mountains to make it happen."
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David Benavidez takes center stage against David Morrell Jr. to close out the day. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Benavidez vs. Morrell
What: David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr.; 12 rounds for Benavidez"s WBC interim light heavyweight title
When: 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime PPV ($79.95)
Where: Uncrowned"s live round-by-round coverage, results and highlights from the entire card
Why: Two-time super middleweight champion David Benavidez is one of boxing"s most exciting action fighters, but after failing to convince superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez to meet in a blockbuster match, the Phoenix native moved up to light heavyweight and immediately captured the interim WBC belt. Now tasked with fellow unbeaten David Morrell Jr., Benavidez hopes to stake his claim to challenge the winner of Feb. 22"s undisputed championship rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Everything you need to know:
Benavidez vs. Morrell preview: Benavidez"s heart can"t be questioned after taking this risk. "This is the type of fight rising stars in boxing almost always avoid. For Benavidez, though, Saturday is all about proving a point."
As biggest bout of his career approaches, David Morrell Jr. is carrying the scars of his past. ""It’s boxing, but it’s life," Morrell says, wiping tears from his eyes. "Guys have families, kids. Maybe I’ll lose, and then I could come out [of the ring] and go to the hospital. Then I think of my mom, my dad. I have a son now, and my wife too. It’s crazy.""
"Life had lost its meaning": 2 years after boxing nearly killed him, an ex-champ is refusing to stay down. "Little did they know that the consequences of those losses, abandonment and the fear of not knowing how he would provide for his three children back in the Dominican Republic, ravaged Jeison Rosario’s psyche. "It was so bad," he says ahead of his undercard fight against Jesus Ramos, "that I woke up every morning thinking about taking my own life.""
