Is Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev confirmed for UFC Saudi Arabia?

Despite not appearing on the coveted UFC 300 card, rumors suggest Israel Adesanya‘s return to the octagon could see him lock horns with Khamzat Chimaev.

‘The Last Stylebender’ previously confirmed he would be taking a break from the sport but with UFC 300 approaching, many expected to see him feature. A title grudge match against Dricus Du Plessis or a trilogy for 205 lbs gold against Alex Pereira were potential matchups for Adesanya, but reports are claiming he now has a different opponent lined up.

On February 20, Kingdom Arena leaked what many believed to be a huge middleweight affair between Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev. The company posted a ticket link for the bout, which matches the UFC’s debut in Saudi Arabia.

‼️Israel Adesanya vs Khamzat Chimaev MW Bout 6/23 🇸🇦

* Rumors about this matchup are not confirmed. We’ve reached out to both camps.* pic.twitter.com/gNsXfOlLph

— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) February 20, 2024

Just hours after the rumors dropped, they were put to bed by UFC CEO Dana White who confirmed the post was fake.

White went on to attack MMA media for their involvement in building hype for a fight that hadn’t been spoken about by the organization. Clearly upset at those involved in promoting the unofficial fight, Dana White took to Instagram to air his frustrations.

“Not happening. It was a fake post,” White said in relation to the recent fight rumors between Adesanya and Chimaev. “All the MMA media that ran with it are the problem. Absolute CLOWNS.”

“If you hear it from the MMA media and not us, it’s probably bullsh*t.”

Related: Israel Adesanya reacts to Ilia Topuria knocking out Alexander Volkanovski

Hours later, Dana White added further comments on the situation, this time directing his anger at Yahoo! Sports.

“Yahoo! Sports also ran the fake Izzy vs. Khamzat fight. Yahoo! Sports ran a fake story!!! YAHOO SPORTS. That’s how bad this sh*t is right now. INSANITY.”

On June 22, 2024, UFC will make its first venture into Saudi Arabia with its highly anticipated Riyadh card. With many Muslim fighters able to compete on that date following Ramadan, there are high expectations for the fight night event.