Israel Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov is A+ matchmaking by the UFC

On October 15, MMA reporter Ariel Helwani revealed that the UFC is targeting a five-round bout between former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Shara Magoomedov for the upcoming event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 5.

This is a terrific fight and, dare I say, A+ matchmaking by the UFC, which is pitting two of the middleweight division’s most elite strikers against one another in the Middle East.

Adesanya is a UFC Hall of Famer who, at age 37, is currently ranked No. 9 in the UFC media rankings.

Although he is on the downside of his career, having lost four straight fights and five of his last six fights overall, he is still a huge name in the sport and someone who is considered a massive scalp on anyone’s resume if they can get past him.

Israel Adesanya is UFC Legend Looking to Snap His Losing Skid

Adesanya may be on a losing skid, but he’s still one of the best middleweights on the planet, and someone whom the UFC knows it can sell an arena out when they put his name on the poster.

That being said, he is certainly nearing the end of his career based on his age and the results of his recent performances, so if he wants to prove to the entire MMA community that he still has what it takes to make one last title run in the latter stages of his UFC career, then he absolutely has to beat Magomedov in this fight.

Stylistically, it’s not a bad matchup for Adesanya by any means, as both he and Magomedov are pure strikers who don’t have much of a ground game.

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Therefore, this fight is likely to take place mostly on the feet, where both men will have their chances of landing a knockout blow against each other.

Should Adesanya beat Magomedov, it would show to the UFC that he’s still worthy of his top-10 ranking, and to the fans that he’s still must-watch television.

But without risk doesn’t come that potential reward, and the risk in this particular fight is that he may very well get chinned by Magomedov and put out cold for his fifth straight loss.

If that happens, then retirement becomes a very real option, but for now, Adesanya’s sole focus is on getting his hand raised and seeing his five-fight losing skid snapped.

Shara Magomedov is Trying to Become a UFC Middleweight Title Contender

Magomedov is a 32-year-old who is currently ranked No. 15 in the UFC media rankings.

The Russian first joined the UFC in 2023 and, since then, holds an impressive 6-1 record inside the Octagon with two knockout wins, including an incredible double spinning back fist KO against Armen Petrosyan in October 2024.

Magomedov is blind in one eye, which limits where the UFC can book him for fights, as most of the athletic commissions in the United States will not sanction him to fight in America.

But that hasn’t stopped the UFC from booking him to fight overseas, as he’s fought twice in Saudi Arabia, four times in the United Arab Emirates, and once in Azerbaijan in the UFC.

The UFC has been trying to get Magomedov into the middleweight title mix for a while, but a decision loss to Michael Page in February 2025 temporarily set him back from jumping into title contention at 185 lbs.

However, he has won two fights in a row since then to land this massive opportunity against Adesanya, a former UFC middleweight champion.

Should Magomedov get the nod in this fight, he will immediately become a top-10-ranked fighter in his weight class and get close to a title shot at 185 lbs.

Therefore, it’s an amazing fight for him personally, and a fun one for the fans, too, as both Magomedov and Adesanya prefer to stand and strike, which usually sees their fights ending via violent knockouts.

With this exciting main event between Adesanya and Magomedov in the works for the event, UFC Saudi Arabia can’t come soon enough, as this is a must-watch fight.

The UFC Middle East events almost always seem to deliver the goods, and with Adesanya and Magomedov headlining this one, that’s likely to be the case once more.

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This story was originally published by Lindy's Sports on Oct 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Other Sports section. Add Lindy's Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.