Adesanya to headline UFC Qatar in November

File photo: Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is set to headline UFC Qatar on November 21 against Russia’s Shara “Bullet” Magomedov.

Russian reports claim the two middleweights are being lined up for a five-round main event at the ABHA Arena in Doha.

The UFC has confirmed its return to Qatar on that date, but has yet to announce any fight for the card or confirm the matchup.

Magomedov has long wanted the fight. He called out Adesanya after beating Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 in October 2024, saying he used to chase the Nigerian-born fighter when both competed in kickboxing in China.

“I used to chase Israel Adesanya when he fought kickboxing in China. I was fighting kickboxing in China, too,” Magomedov said, according to MMA Fighting.

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The Russian beat Michel Pereira by unanimous decision at UFC Baku on June 27 to improve his record to 17-1, and is ranked No. 15 in the division.

Adesanya, meanwhile, is coming off a rough patch. The 37-year-old has lost four fights in a row, including a second-round technical knockout to Joe Pyfer, and is 1-5 in his last six bouts.

He left City Kickboxing in July after 16 years with the gym and coach Eugene Bareman. He has since been seen training at Alexander Volkanovski’s gym in Wollongong, Australia, and one of his nutritionists posted a video of him in camp, the first sign that a return is close.

Adesanya has said pride is driving him to keep fighting after the setbacks.

“I don’t want this to be the writing of my story, because I feel like, yes, I took part in this, but this is not what I wanted to write. This is not how I wanted to end,” he said in June.

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