It appears that the UFC’s upcoming event in Saudi Arabia will feature a highly anticipated showdown between Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev, as revealed by the Kingdom Arena website posting a ticket link for the fight.
Originally slated for March, the UFC’s debut in Saudi Arabia was postponed to June 22. Speculation arose regarding dissatisfaction from Gulf state officials regarding the fight lineup, but UFC president Dana White dismissed such claims.
Now, all eyes are on the Adesanya vs. Chimaev bout, prominently advertised on the Kingdom Arena website as of Tuesday, February 20th.
Saudi Arabia Leak Khamzat Chimaev vs Israel Adesanya
Adesanya, coming off a September loss, seeks redemption after dropping his UFC middleweight title defense to Sean Strickland. Despite the setback, the Nigerian-born New Zealander remains a formidable force in the octagon.
On the other hand, Russian-born Chimaev, based in the United Arab Emirates, continues his meteoric rise in the UFC. With an impressive 13-0 record, including victories over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, Chimaev presents a formidable challenge to Adesanya.
The potential clash between Adesanya and Chimaev has been a topic of discussion among fans since Chimaev’s debut in 2020. Despite fluctuating weight classes, Chimaev’s dominance has captured attention, with six knockouts/TKOs and five submissions to his name.
Adesanya, known as the “Last Stylebender,” enjoyed a successful reign as middleweight champion from 2019 to 2022, defending his title five times before losing it to Alex Pereira. However, he bounced back with a knockout victory in their rematch and looks to reclaim his former glory.
As fight fans eagerly await this high-stakes matchup, anticipation builds for what promises to be an electrifying showdown between two of the UFC’s most dynamic talents.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
