Israel Adesanya is reportedly set for his comeback against a dangerous opponent at the UFC’s upcoming event in Saudi Arabia in December, in what would be the promotion’s third visit to the country. However, the reveal has made fans worry that the bout could see the close of the former two-time middleweight champion’s career.

Prominent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani disclosed during his show that Adesanya would face the terrifying middleweight Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on December 5, 2026.

Neither the UFC nor the fighters have officially announced the middleweight matchup. However, the report coming from one of the sport’s most trusted voices has given the fight announcement credibility.

With the upcoming bout, Israel Adesanya would be returning to the Octagon after his crushing second-round TKO loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle in March this year. The defeat marked the Nigerian-Kiwi’s fourth consecutive loss, the longest losing streak of his career.

Pyfer was ranked No. 14 in the middleweight division when he finished Adesanya, who was ranked No. 4 at the time. The result raised serious questions about the former champion’s place in the sport, and now, the prospect of another difficult matchup has fans questioning how much longer he should continue competing.

In search of a bounce-back, Adesanya parted ways with his longtime coach, Eugene Bareman, in May, ending their 16-year partnership. the Niggerian-Kiwi revealed in a YouTube video in July that he had left the gym to find a new environment and subsequently joined Alex Volkanovski’s gym in Sydney, Australia.

Briefly, rumors emerged that the UFC was exploring a comeback fight between Adesanya and Bo Nickal. However, the UFC 335 announcement confirmed that Nickal would face Joe Pyfer at the December 12 event, putting those rumors to rest.

Israel Adesanya facing Shara Magomedov would not be remotely surprising to longtime fans of the sport because the two already have some history.

In 2024, Magomedov scored a spectacular knockout against Armen Petrosyan with back-to-back spinning backfists in the UFC 308 main card opener. He then called out Adesanya for a clash, prompting a response from the former champion in a YouTube video.

“Keep my name out of your f—ing mouth,” Adesanya had said in his response at the time.

Two years after that callout, Adesanya and Magomedov are reportedly set to collide. Fans may be excited about the matchup, but the reaction has also brought concerns about the former champion’s future to the forefront. With four consecutive defeats behind him, many believe this could be the fight that determines whether Adesanya has anything left to offer inside the Octagon.

Fans call for Israel Adesanya’s retirement after Shara Magomedov fight gets confirmed

One fan quickly chimed in and wrote, “If Izzy don’t win this, hang it up.”

Another commented, “Retirement fight for Israel,” while a different fan added, “Izzy should wrap it up if he can’t beat Shara Bullet.”

Another user expressed a similar sentiment, stating, “If Izzy loses to a guy with one eye… he might need to hang it up.”

The growing concern surrounding Adesanya’s future stems from his current losing streak. The former two-time middleweight champion has remained winless since knocking out Alex Pereira in their rematch at UFC 287 in 2023.

‘The Last Stylebender’s upset loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 via unanimous decision cost him his 185-pound belt. He returned to face Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305, but the South African submitted him in the fourth round.

Israel Adesanya subsequently tried to make a comeback against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2025. However, the French-Russian fighter brutally finished him in the second round. After a break of over a year, Adesanya returned against Pyfer in March 2026 but suffered another devastating TKO loss.

Understandably, fans aren’t banking on Adesanya, who is riding a four-fight losing streak. And with another dangerous opponent reportedly lined up, the stakes could hardly be higher for the former champion.

One fan continued the conversation surrounding Adesanya’s potential retirement, writing, “Izzy should wrap it up if he can’t beat Shara Bullet…” Another fan believes the former champion should win this fight unless his prime has deteriorated much more than expected, writing, “Izzy SHOULD win this fight. Unless he’s actually that washed.”

Unlike Adesanya, his reported opponent has managed to bounce back from a setback. Shara Magomedov suffered a unanimous decision loss to Michael ‘Venom’ Page in Saudi Arabia in February 2025, at the same event Adesanya headlined. Despite that defeat, the Russian bounced back with wins over Marc-André Barriault and Michel Pereira.

Although Magomedov is a relatively well-known name in the MMA sphere, he has yet to establish himself among the division’s top contenders. Adesanya, meanwhile, is ranked No. 9 in the middleweight division. A loss to Magomedov could put the former champion’s ranking in jeopardy and intensify the calls for him to retire.

Plus, at 37 years old, Adesanya’s future in the UFC and his long-term health are also important considerations if he decides to stay active. With four consecutive losses behind him, another defeat could make the question of retirement even harder to ignore.

However, if he ends up winning, he would most likely not hang up his gloves just yet. A victory over Magomedov could give the former champion some much-needed momentum and a reason to continue competing. In that case, it would be interesting to see what the UFC has planned for him next.