Striking fans have much to look forward to as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) revealed during UFC Vegas 124 that former two-time Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will make a comeback against “Shara Bullet” Shara Magomedov in the five-round main event of UFC Saudi Arabia. This event is set for Saturday, December 5, 2026, at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.
The event’s co-main attraction will also feature a five-round bout, where recent Welterweight title contender Ian Machado Garry will face off against former Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov.
Adesanya, who holds a 24-6 record, is in urgent need of a victory after suffering four straight losses. The fighter known as “The Last Stylebender” relinquished his Middleweight title to Sean Strickland and then endured stoppage defeats against Dricus Du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov, and Joe Pyfer. At 37 years old, his last win dates back to April 2023, when he knocked out Alex Pereira to reclaim the Middleweight championship. This upcoming fight also marks Adesanya’s first bout since parting ways with longtime coach Eugene Bareman and City Kickboxing.
On the other side, Magomedov has been impressive with back-to-back wins over Marc-Andre Barriault and Michel Pereira. The Russian fighter “Shara Bullet” boasts a UFC record of 6-1, with his only professional loss stemming from a February 2025 bout against Michael “Venom” Page in Saudi Arabia. This fight represents the biggest chance of Magomedov’s career and an opportunity to claim a victory over one of the sport’s all-time great Middleweights.
In the co-main event, Garry, sporting a 17-2 record, is making his return after losing his Welterweight title challenge to Islam Makhachev at UFC 330. Prior to that setback, “The Future” secured notable wins against Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad. Meanwhile, Amosov has been dominant since joining the UFC, submitting both Neil Magny and Joel Alvarez in his initial fights inside the Octagon. The former Bellator champion’s sole loss was to Jason Jackson in November 2023.
UFC Saudi Arabia will be the final Fight Night event of 2026, scheduled just a week before UFC 335 in Las Vegas. The announced fight card includes:
- Israel Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov
- Ian Machado Garry vs. Yaroslav Amosov
- Islam Dulatov vs. Levan Chokheli
- Akbar Abdullaev vs. Mairon Santos
- Serghei Spivac vs. Mario Pinto
- Bruno Silva vs. Jafel Filho
- Pavel Andrusca vs. Mahammadali Osmanli
- JunYong Park vs. Marco Tulio
- Matthieu Duclos vs. Modestino Rodrigues
- Magomed Tuchalov vs. Ion Cuțelaba
- Abdul Hussein vs. Hecher Sosa
- Ivan Gnizditskiy vs. Uran Satybaldiev
For those interested in UFC’s full upcoming event schedule, more details can be found here.
Fan Take: This announcement is a pivotal moment for fight enthusiasts as it signals Israel Adesanya’s potential resurgence against a formidable and rising contender, Shara Magomedov. The outcome could reshape the Middleweight division and revitalize interest in one of MMA’s most electrifying fighters, impacting the sport’s future landscape.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
