Adesanya says he signed for his next fight and that the last three years 'have just not been fun'; the UFC has not announced a bout, and Magomedov in Saudi Arabia is unconfirmed.
From 9 reports by 6 outletsLatest Adesanya says he signed his next fight contract, promises 'blood in the sand' 6 outlets
What we know
- Adesanya says he signed his next fight contract and did not name an opponent.
- The UFC has not announced Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov; MMA Mania says it is the matchup the UFC wants to book.
- Adesanya has lost four straight and has not won since April 2023.
Reported, not confirmed
-
Saudi Arabia has been hit by missile and drone attacks in recent weeks, some targeting Riyadh's international airport, putting the event in doubt.
Bloody Elbow
-
Dana White says the UFC still intends to hold the Saudi card.
MMA Mania
Disputed
-
The reported UFC Saudi Arabia date in Riyadh is Dec. 5 per Bloody Elbow and Combat Sports UK, and Dec. 6 per MMA Mania and Knockout Daily.
Combat Sports UK
Israel Adesanya has not won since April 2023, and watching a training partner finish a title fight has made him impatient. He watched Alexander Volkanovski stop Movsar Evloev in round two at UFC 333 from home, then posted a reaction video on his YouTube channel. He called the champion a legend and said the finish came earlier than he expected; he had figured on round four.
The clip ended with a plea rather than a prediction. Adesanya said the fight made him want to work and that he looked forward to "working soon". He named no opponent, date or venue. A day later, on Demetrious Johnson's podcast, he went further and said the contract was done, according to MMA Mania.
The motivation is easy to understand. Adesanya, 37, has lost four straight since he knocked out Alex Pereira in April 2023, the first four-fight skid of his career, and he is 24-6 according to La Sueur. His most recent loss was a second-round knockout by Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle. He has recently left his gym in Auckland and has been seen training with Volkanovski's team in Sydney, after earlier sessions together at City Kickboxing. MMA Mania notes that a fight now would be his first in the UFC without City Kickboxing in his corner.
His opponent is expected to be Shara Magomedov, who is 17-1 according to La Sueur. Bloody Elbow and Yardbarker MMA report he is set to headline UFC Saudi Arabia, and MMA Mania says that is the matchup the UFC wants to book. Asked about the rumor at the post-fight press conference, Dana White gave no details and did not confirm it, saying only "It's coming, it's happening," according to Combat Sports UK.
The date is not secure. Saudi Arabia has been hit by missile and drone attacks in recent weeks, some aimed at Riyadh's international airport. White has insisted the promotion still intends to go ahead with Middle East events, according to MMA Mania.
Watch for an official UFC announcement of the card, its location and its date. If Riyadh proves unworkable, Adesanya's chance to end the losing run could move.
The clip ended with a plea rather than a prediction. Adesanya said the fight made him want to work and that he looked forward to "working soon". He named no opponent, date or venue. A day later, on Demetrious Johnson's podcast, he went further and said the contract was done, according to MMA Mania.
The motivation is easy to understand. Adesanya, 37, has lost four straight since he knocked out Alex Pereira in April 2023, the first four-fight skid of his career, and he is 24-6 according to La Sueur. His most recent loss was a second-round knockout by Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle. He has recently left his gym in Auckland and has been seen training with Volkanovski's team in Sydney, after earlier sessions together at City Kickboxing. MMA Mania notes that a fight now would be his first in the UFC without City Kickboxing in his corner.
His opponent is expected to be Shara Magomedov, who is 17-1 according to La Sueur. Bloody Elbow and Yardbarker MMA report he is set to headline UFC Saudi Arabia, and MMA Mania says that is the matchup the UFC wants to book. Asked about the rumor at the post-fight press conference, Dana White gave no details and did not confirm it, saying only "It's coming, it's happening," according to Combat Sports UK.
The date is not secure. Saudi Arabia has been hit by missile and drone attacks in recent weeks, some aimed at Riyadh's international airport. White has insisted the promotion still intends to go ahead with Middle East events, according to MMA Mania.
Watch for an official UFC announcement of the card, its location and its date. If Riyadh proves unworkable, Adesanya's chance to end the losing run could move.
- Summary
- Adesanya says he signed for his next fight and that the last three years 'have just not been fun'; the UFC has not announced a bout, and Magomedov in Saudi Arabia is unconfirmed.
- Key points (one per line)
- Adesanya says he signed his next fight contract, naming no opponent, and promised 'blood in the sand'.
The UFC has not announced Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov; the reported date in Riyadh is Dec. 5 or Dec. 6 depending on the outlet.
Adesanya has lost four straight and has not won since April 2023.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/26/israel-adesanya-gets-motivation-from-alexander-volkanovskis-ufc-333-win-just-let-me-bang/
Yardbarker MMA | https://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/israel_adesanya_gets_motivation_from_alexander_volkanovskis_ufc_333_win_just_let_me_bang/s1_17651_44474039
La Sueur | https://lasueur.com/israel-adesanya-reagit-a-la-masterclass-de-son-ami-alex-volkanovski-26-10-2026
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/1fa47975-e818-48c6-8f65-bca9a97eddba/israel-adesanya-volkanovski-shows-why-hes-the-greatest-evloev-finish-ufc-333
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/1c2ae37a-811b-404c-a996-28e115e235ec/israel-adesanya-just-let-me-bang-bro-hints-at-ufc-return-after-ufc-333
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/israel-adesanya-watched-volkanovski-break-evloev-and-now-he-cant-sit-still
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/israel-adesanya-found-fresh-fuel-in-volkanovskis-ufc-333-demolition-of-evloev
MMA Mania | https://www.mmamania.com/latest-news/482237/found-israel-adesanya-admits-fighting-hasnt-been-fun-for-years-i-was-lost
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/israel-adesanya-admits-he-was-lost-and-fighting-stopped-being-fun-for-three-years
Last edited:
Results
Main card
- Alexander Volkanovski vs Movsar Evloev Alexander Volkanovski wins · TKO (strikes), R2 4:54 Featherweight title fight
-
Petr Yan
vs
Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan wins · decision, R5
Bantamweight
Ad space Presented by your brand? Sponsor this spot ›
Fan poll
Will Adesanya's reported fight with Magomedov in Riyadh take place in December?
Watch
More video
Fighters in this story
Israel Adesanya
Alexander Volkanovski
Movsar Evloev
Petr Yan
Merab Dvalishvili
Alex PereiraMore photos
Sources
Knockout Daily
Yardbarker MMA
La SueurSummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
Is this story accurate?
Updated
This story just changed.