Adesanya to headline UFC Qatar in November

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is scheduled to headline UFC Qatar on November 21 at the ABHA Arena in Doha. The Russian reports indicate that Adesanya will face Russia's Shara "Bullet" Magomedov in a five-round main event. The UFC has confirmed its return to Qatar on that date, but has not yet announced any other fights for the card or confirmed the matchup.

Magomedov, who has been long rumored to want the fight, previously called out Adesanya after beating Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 in October 2024. Magomedov stated that he had been chasing Adesanya during their time in kickboxing in China. Adesanya is set to return to the Octagon after a challenging stretch, having lost four consecutive fights, including a second-round technical knockout to Joe Pyfer.

The 37-year-old has recently been training at Alexander Volkanovski's gym in Wollongong, Australia. He recently expressed his determination to keep fighting despite the setbacks, stating that he does not want this to be the end of his story.