Abus Magomedov delivered a dominant performance at UFC Baku, dropping his opponent with an elbow before finishing with a rear-naked choke. After the win, Magomedov called out former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, stating the two are now close in level.
Abus Magomedov made a loud statement at UFC Baku on June 27, 2026, finishing his opponent with a rear-naked choke after first dropping him with a sharp elbow, then immediately calling out former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the aftermath.
Magomedov, 35, improved his record to 29-7-1 with the performance. The orthodox-stance middleweight stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach and brings a well-rounded game to the cage, averaging 2.61 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 49 percent. The finish at UFC Baku underscored that versatility, combining a fight-ending elbow with a composed ground finish. Following the bout, Magomedov told the crowd and cameras that he and Adesanya are now close in level, making his target clear.
On the other side of that callout stands Adesanya, the 36-year-old Nigerian star out of City Kickboxing who holds a 24-6 record and is currently ranked eighth in the middleweight division. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Adesanya is one of the most decorated strikers in UFC middleweight history, landing 4.03 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. A two-time champion who has headlined some of the promotion's biggest cards, he remains a marquee name even outside of title contention.
Why it matters
- A win over Adesanya would be the signature result of Magomedov's career and could vault him into the upper tier of the middleweight rankings.
- Adesanya, sitting at number eight, needs a high-profile victory to push back toward title contention, giving both men clear motivation.
- The stylistic contrast is sharp — Magomedov's grappling-heavy, physical approach against Adesanya's elite kickboxing and range management — making it a genuine style clash at 185 pounds.
