There’s no doubt that Sharaputdin Magomedov has been one of the biggest discoveries of the year. Much like Alex Pereira, Sharaputin has dominated his three fights, with his most recent performance at UFC 308 being a career highlight. After such a standout showing, the big question has been who he should face next. It looks like Team Sharaputdin has an answer: they’re eyeing a fight with Israel Adesanya in February next year.
While most fighters usually take a break after a fight, it seems ‘Bullet’ is all about that grind. He quickly returned to the training mat, gearing up for his next match. After his jaw-dropping knockout of Armen Petrosyan with a double spinning backfist, he’s captured everyone’s attention, and fans can’t wait to see what he does next.
As for his next fight, his coach revealed that Sharaputdin is expected to return next year in Saudi Arabia, with his sights set on none other than Israel Adesanya.
He stated, “We already began preparation for February 1st. We don’t know who the opponent will be, but the date is set. It’s going to be February 1st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It may be Israel Adesanya. There isn’t much more of a “WOW” out there.”
Notably, after the fight, Sharaputdin openly called out Izzy, declaring himself the best striker in the division and vowing to outclass Adesanya. The former middleweight champion had his own response, adding more fuel to the fire for this potential matchup.
Israel Adesanya Fires Back At Sharaputdin Magomedov
After UFC 308, the Russian fighter challenged Adesanya during a chat with Daniel Cormier, expressing that he has wanted to fight him for a long time but hasn’t had the chance. He noted that he previously tried to face Adesanya in kickboxing while in China but missed that opportunity. Now, he’s determined to find him, stating the only way Adesanya can avoid the fight is by quitting or retiring.
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In response, Adesanya shared a recent video where he humorously warned ‘Bullet’ in a style similar to Will Smith’s infamous slap of Chris Rock at the Oscars. He stated, “Keep my name out your f***ing mouth. What he say f*** me for?”
Indeed, it will be interesting to see if Adesanya accepts the fight. If he does, it would be the biggest matchup of Sharaputdin’s career and could significantly shift the dynamics of the middleweight division.
