Former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya is reportedly slated to return to the octagon against Shara Magomedov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on December 5, 2026. Prominent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani was the first to report the news, indicating the middleweight clash is expected to headline the promotion's event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As of this report, the UFC has not yet officially confirmed the matchup or the event date.
Adesanya Seeks to End Losing Skid
Israel Adesanya, aged 36, will enter this potential bout with a UFC record of 13-6-0 across 19 UFC fights. He is currently on a four-fight losing streak, a significant turn in his career trajectory. His most recent defeat occurred in March 2026 at UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer, where he lost to Joe Pyfer by KO/TKO punches in the second round at four minutes and eighteen seconds. The pre-fight market had Adesanya at 56% to win that bout. Prior to that, in February 2025, he lost to Nassourdine Imavov by KO/TKO punch in the second round, and in August 2024, he was defeated by Dricus Du Plessis via submission with a rear naked choke in the fourth round. His losing streak began in September 2023, when he lost to Sean Strickland by unanimous decision over five rounds. Adesanya's last victory was in April 2023 at UFC 287, where he won against Alex Pereira by KO/TKO punch in the second round. Adesanya, who stands six feet, four inches tall with an eighty-inch reach and fights in a switch stance, holds an official UFC ranking of Middleweight #9. His UFC Elo rating after his last fight was 1113. Before his last fight, his takedowns per fight averaged 0.1 at 5% accuracy, with a takedown defense of 73%.
Reports also indicate that Adesanya has made a change in his training environment, having left his longtime team at City Kickboxing earlier this year. He is now reportedly training alongside Alexander Volkanovski and Mauricio Ruffy.
Magomedov Aims for Breakthrough
Shara Magomedov, aged 32, holds a UFC record of 6-1-0 from seven UFC fights. He is currently ranked Middleweight #15. Magomedov, known as 'Shara Bullet,' has openly expressed interest in facing Adesanya, having called him out after his victory over Michel Pereira in June 2026. Adesanya previously reacted to a callout from Magomedov in 2024, stating, "Keep my name out of your f—ing mouth."
Magomedov's most recent fight was in June 2026 at UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres, where he secured a unanimous decision victory over Michel Pereira after three rounds. The pre-fight market had Magomedov at 79% to win that contest. This win extended his UFC win streak to one, following a unanimous decision victory over Marc-Andre Barriault in July 2025. His sole UFC loss came in February 2025 against Michael Page by unanimous decision. Magomedov, who is six feet, two inches tall with a seventy-three-inch reach and fights in an orthodox stance, has a UFC Elo rating of 1086 after his last fight. Before his last fight, his takedowns per fight averaged 0.0 at 0% accuracy, with a takedown defense of 76%.
This reported main event matchup in Saudi Arabia would mark a significant opportunity for Magomedov to test himself against a former champion and potentially climb further up the middleweight rankings. For Adesanya, it represents a critical chance to snap his four-fight losing streak and reassert his position among the division's elite.
By the numbers
| Fighter | UFC record | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Israel Adesanya | 13-6-0 | Middleweight #9 |
| Shara Magomedov | 6-1-0 | Middleweight #15 |
UFC records count UFC fights only. Records and rankings from UFC Stats and ufc.com.
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