Shara Magomedov's coach reveals next fight date, hints at ex-UFC champion as potential opponent: "There isn't much more of a 'WOW' out there"

At UFC 308, Shara Magomedov pulled off the first-ever double-spinning back-fist knockout. The all-action middleweight put away Armen Petrosyan in devastating fashion, earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his unique finish.

‘Bullet's record is now 15-0, and his UFC record stands at 4-0. Moreover, he's earned post-fight bonuses in his last three outings.

In his post-fight octagon interview, the Russian fighter called out former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. His coach hinted that the 30-year-old will be back in action in February against Adesanya, per a post from Championship Rounds.

"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.”

Check out the post below:

The UFC's inaugural event in Saudi Arabia took place earlier this year at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, headlined by a middleweight clash between Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov. The second UFC Saudi Arabia event will be underway in February 2025, and its fight card is already taking shape, with Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik already announced.

There's growing speculation about Magomedov's reason for only competing in the Middle East during his UFC tenure. Rumors are rife that, considering he has only one functioning eye, we won't be permitted to compete stateside. This could be a factor in his return being pushed until next year.

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Israel Adesanya reacts to Shara Magomedov's callout

Israel Adesanya recently shared a video on his YouTube channel, FREESTYLEBENDER, reacting to UFC 308 and Shara Magomedov’s callout. He shared a hilarious reaction to the callout, mimicking Will Smith at the Oscars in 2022 when Chris Rock made comments about Smith’s wife before the infamous slap.

"Keep my name out your f***ing mouth. What he say f*** me for?"

Check out Israel Adesanya’s comments below (1:17):

‘The Last Stylebender’ returned to action earlier this year against reigning middleweight UFC champion Dricus du Plessis but lost via submission.