{"id":83,"date":"2026-06-29T16:30:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/mma\/?p=83"},"modified":"2026-06-29T16:30:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:30:29","slug":"israel-adesanya-ufc-baku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/mma\/2026\/06\/29\/israel-adesanya-ufc-baku\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel Adesanya Linked to Potential Showdowns With UFC Baku Winners After Dual Callouts\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is safe to say that Israel Adesanya still has plenty of contenders eager to test themselves against him. The former two-time UFC middleweight champion has endured a difficult stretch over the past few years, with his most recent setback coming at UFC Seattle. There, Adesanya faced Joe Pyfer and was stopped in the second round after Pyfer unleashed a relentless barrage of ground-and-pound, forcing the referee to step in and stop the bout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The loss marked Adesanya\u2019s fourth consecutive defeat dating back to September 2023 and his third straight stoppage loss. During that skid, he suffered a <\/span>knockout defeat to Nassourdine Imavov<\/span><\/a> in Saudi Arabia, was submitted by Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305, and dropped a surprising decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, a result many still view as one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adesanya\u2019s last victory came in April 2023 when he reclaimed the middleweight title with a spectacular knockout of longtime rival Alex Pereira at UFC 287. Despite the recent downturn in his career, retirement appears to be the furthest thing from Adesanya\u2019s mind. And if he chooses to continue competing, potential opponents are already lining up.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 (via Imagn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of those names is Shara Magomedov. Fresh off a unanimous decision <\/span>victory over Michel Pereira at UFC Baku<\/span><\/a>, the middleweight contender has expressed interest in facing the former champion next. During the UFC Baku post-fight press conference, he said, <\/span>\u201cIsrael Adesanya is a great matchup. He’s fast. He’s got a good size. He’s tall. He’s very interesting. He’s not that old, still. I think it would be an exciting matchup, and I think he would be a great, exciting matchup for me, to be honest.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

However, Magomedov does have one condition, and that is where his teammate Abus Magomedov enters the picture. While \u2018Bullet\u2019 is interested in testing himself against Adesanya, he made it clear that he would not stand in the way of his teammate if the UFC decided to make that matchup instead. He said, <\/span>\u201cBut if I need to let my brother Abus take that matchup, then that’s what I’ll do. Abus is awesome. We trained for this camp. We did the whole camp together.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The statement comes after Abus Magomedov secured an emphatic knockout victory over Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC Baku. Following his win, the Russian middleweight also called for a fight with Adesanya, claiming the former champion had spoken negatively about him in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

During his <\/span>post-fight interview<\/span><\/a>, he said, <\/span>\u201cOnly one guy, Adesanya. Back in the day, some conversation, he talked little bit shit about me. And now it\u2019s time, I think. I hope we gonna fight one day. A lot of respect for Adesanya. He was champion, I was growing up with his fights. But now it\u2019s my time.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The tension seemingly traces back to an interview in which Adesanya struggled to remember Magomedov\u2019s name while discussing some of Sean Strickland\u2019s previous opponents. For the unversed, Magomedov endured a rocky start to his UFC run, going 1-2 in his first three appearances with defeats to Strickland and Caio Borralho.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What a finish by Abus Magomedov!!<\/p>\n

He calls out Israel Adesanya \ud83d\udc40pic.twitter.com\/D52Vananvz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) June 27, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n