Israel Adesanya reportedly set to face Shara Magomedov in Riyadh
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to return against Shara Magomedov in December. A separate report says the Saudi Arabia card is highly likely to be canceled.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
This story is no longer being updated. It reflects reporting up to .
What happened
Former UFC middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to return against Shara Magomedov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, scheduled for December 5, 2026. A later report claims the event is highly likely to be canceled. The UFC rarely cancels cards entirely, according to the second report.
Why it matters
The UFC is rarely forced to cancel cards entirely.
Timeline
- Oct 15, 7:00 PM ET: Adesanya was reported to return against Shara Magomedov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on December 5, 2026.
- Oct 16, 3:00 PM ET: A report claimed the UFC Saudi Arabia event in Riyadh is highly likely to be canceled.
Coverage
- Israel Adesanya's UFC return event in the Middle East 'highly' likely to be canceled report claims (bloodyelbow.com)
- Stylebender’s Last Stand? Izzy Vs. Shara Bullet Targeted For Saudi Arabia (Yahoo Sports)
- Report: Israel Adesanya vs. Shara Bullet targeted for UFC Saudi Arabia main event on Dec. 5 (mmamania.com)
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