Israel Adesanya may not hang up his gloves just yet. Despite being on a four-fight losing streak and making major changes to his team earlier this year, the former two-time middleweight champion could already have another fight lined up.
Adesanya announced back in July that he was parting ways with longtime coach Eugene Bareman and City Kickboxing. The decision came during the toughest stretch of his career, but “The Last Stylebender” has made it clear that he isn’t ready to hang up his gloves.
His latest setback came against Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle, who stopped Adesanya in the second round after unloading a brutal ground-and-pound attack at Climate Pledge Arena. Now, however, Adesanya could have an opportunity to turn things around.
Israel Adesanya Could Have One More Chance to End His 4-Fight UFC Losing Skid
Prominent MMA journalist Kevin K recently claimed on X that Adesanya’s next opponent could be Shara Magomedov. According to the report, the matchup is being discussed for the UFC’s rumored return to Saudi Arabia, with November 28 being floated as the potential date.
The veteran reporter also claimed that Adesanya vs. Magomedov could headline the event, which would mark the UFC’s third trip to the Kingdom. He wrote, “This is expected to be the main event as well, I’m told per multiple sources.”
This Is Expected To Be The Main Event As Well I’m Told Per Multiple Sources
— Kevin (@realkevink) October 5, 2026
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Nothing has been officially announced by the UFC yet, but there is a potential opening on the calendar. UFC Qatar is currently scheduled for November 21, while UFC 335 is set for December 12, leaving a three-week window for a potential Saudi Arabia event.
Interestingly, Magomedov and Adesanya aren’t the only fighters linked to the rumored card. Michael Morales recently shared private messages with Ian Garry discussing a potential fight between the two at UFC Saudi Arabia.
As for Adesanya, Magomedov could be an intriguing opponent at this stage of his career. “Shara Bullet” has already made it clear that he wants the matchup.
The Russian called out Adesanya following his win over Michel Pereira at UFC Baku in June. The victory marked his second straight win and brought his UFC record to six victories inside the Octagon.
After the Pereira fight, Magomedov made his intentions clear: he wants to climb the middleweight rankings by taking on one of the division’s biggest names. There was even some competition for the matchup within Magomedov’s own camp.
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Abus Magomedov also called for a fight with Adesanya after submitting Michal Oleksiejczuk in the first round earlier that night. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Shara explained that while he wanted the Adesanya fight, he would step aside and let Abus take it if the opportunity came up.
For now, none of this has been made official. But if the latest reports are accurate, Magomedov could finally get the Adesanya fight he has been asking for.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
