Israel Adesanya is reportedly booked to return in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on December 5 in Riyadh, facing unranked middleweight Shara Magomedov. The 17-1 Dagestani had called out Adesanya after his win over Michel Pereira at UFC Baku in June. Adesanya has not won since his April 2023 knockout of Alex Pereira and was knocked out by Joe Pyfer in March 2026.
Israel Adesanya is reportedly lined up to return in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on December 5 in Riyadh, with middleweight Shara Magomedov as his opponent. The booking has not been officially confirmed.
If the report proves accurate, it would answer a call-out. Magomedov challenged Adesanya after his win over Michel Pereira at UFC Baku in June.
The fighters
Adesanya, 37, is a Nigerian-born middleweight with a 24-6 record who is currently ranked ninth in the division. He fights out of City Kickboxing in a switch stance and brings a six-foot-four frame and an 80-inch reach to the cage. His career striking numbers show 4.03 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy. The former champion has not won since knocking out Alex Pereira in April 2023, and he was knocked out by Joe Pyfer in March 2026.
Magomedov, 32, is a Dagestani fighter listed as representing Russia and training with Gorets Fight Club. He is 17-1 and sits at number 15 in the middleweight rankings. The orthodox striker stands six-foot-two with a 73-inch reach and lands 5.93 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. He has attempted no takedowns on average, a sign of a fighter who prefers to stay on the feet.
Why it matters
- Adesanya is looking to end a losing run that dates to his April 2023 win over Pereira, with a knockout loss to Pyfer his most recent outing.
- Magomedov would take a main-event slot against a former champion, a significant step up in profile for a fighter who sits at 15 in the rankings.
- The matchup is a striker-versus-striker contest: Adesanya's length and kickboxing against Magomedov's higher volume and accuracy.
- Adesanya is ranked nine places higher on paper than the number-15 Magomedov would suggest, so a win for the Dagestani could shift the middleweight rankings.
