Adesanya in line for UFC return in December

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to return to the octagon in December, with a main event against Shara Magomedov in Saudi Arabia.

Journalist Ariel Helwani named the pairing for a December 5 card in Saudi Arabia on his show on October 14. Neither the UFC nor either fighter has confirmed the bout.

Adesanya has not fought since March 28, when Joe Pyfer stopped him in the second round in Seattle. The 37-year-old has lost his last four fights, and his last win was a knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023.

The run began when Sean Strickland took his middleweight title by unanimous decision in September 2023. Dricus du Plessis then submitted him in the fourth round in August 2024, and Nassourdine Imavov knocked him out in the second round in February 2025.

He had rumours of retirement after the Pyfer loss, but he dismissed them.

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Adesanya has said he does not want to be a fighter who cannot walk away, and he plans to fight about twice a year instead of four times.

“I do not need to be the guy who needs to fight,” he said.

Magomedov, nicknamed Shara Bullet, has a 17-1 record and is ranked 15th at middleweight, while Adesanya is ninth. His only defeat was a decision loss to Michael Page in February 2025, and he has since beaten Marc-Andre Barriault and Michel Pereira, both on points. He called out Adesanya after the Pereira win.

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