Fresh off his impressive finish at UFC Baku, Abus Magomedov has expressed a desire to fight Israel Adesanya next.
Abus Magomedov called out Israel Adesanya following his impressive finish at UFC Baku, making clear he wants the former champion as his next opponent in the middleweight division.
Magomedov carries a record of 29-7-1 and has built a reputation as one of the more dangerous finishers in the 185-pound weight class. The 35-year-old orthodox fighter stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach and brings a well-rounded skill set to the octagon, averaging 2.61 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 49 percent. His ability to mix levels and generate finishes gives him a profile that few middleweights can match.
Adesanya, 36, needs little introduction at middleweight despite now sitting at number eight in the divisional rankings. The Nigerian standout who trains out of City Kickboxing carries a 24-6 record and remains one of the most technically refined strikers in UFC history. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, he operates out of a switch stance and lands 4.03 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. His grappling engagement is minimal by design, averaging just 0.05 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- A win over Adesanya would immediately vault Magomedov into title contention at 185 pounds
- Adesanya remains a top-ten ranked name whose profile carries significant weight for any rising contender
- The stylistic contrast is sharp — Magomedov's takedown volume against Adesanya's elite counter-striking and octagon movement sets up an intriguing puzzle
- Both men are in their mid-thirties, adding urgency to where each fits in the division's current hierarchy
