UFC superstar Israel Adesanya is still without an opponent for Sydney’s hyped UFC 293 card on September 10 – however officials have confirmed a championship fight will definitely top their hyped return to the Harbour City.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Tuesday, UFC executive Dave Shaw also revealed that from next year, Australia will be hosting a minimum of two UFC events a year — with the next one potentially arriving in February.

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While there is now only seven weeks until the Octagon returns to Sydney for UFC 293, the company is yet to announce who will headline.

Initially, Adesanya was expected to defend his title against South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis — who earned the right to a championship shot after beating Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July.

However, with du Plessis apparently suffering a foot injury in his upset win over Bobby Knuckles, there has since been talk of American Sean Strickland stepping up instead.

Yet earlier this week Strickland said in an interview he would have to be paid big to make the trip.

There has also been whispers of a proposed welterweight title fight between English champ Leon Edwards and Colby Covington – slated for November or December – being brought forward, however Adesanya remains the most likely choice.

Speaking after a Tuesday press conference to announce UFC 293 ticket sales, cult Mt Druitt heavyweight Tai Tuivasa said there was only one fighter he did not want atop the event on which he will also star — Covington.

Back in 2017, the polarising American made headlines in Sydney after a bizarre altercation with Brazilian heavyweight Fabricio Werdum – who was headlining a UFC card in town later that week.

As part of an altercation that eventually saw police called, Werdum attempted to whack Covington, who was visiting as a guest fighter, with a souvenir boomerang.

“So he’s banned from Australia,” joked Tuivasa, who made his UFC debut on that same card.

“I actually watched him get that boomerang thrown at him, too.”

Tuivasa will also fill one of the top spots at UFC 293, with his fight against Alexander Volkov finally confirmed at Tuesday’s press event.

Asked who he wanted to top the card, the heavyweight cackled: “Bro, anyone … so long as it’s not me doing f … ing five rounds.”

Way back in 2017 on that Werdum undercard, Tuivasa made his Octagon debut in spectacular fashion – defeating Rashad Coulter via flying knee.

The Sydneysider would go on to win his first three fights in the UFC, then drop three straight, before going on a tear of five straight wins – topped by an upset KO over Derrick Lewis at UFC 271.

Since then however, Tuivasa has suffered back-to-back losses against Cyril Gane and Sergei Pavlovich, who now sit three at two in the rankings respectively.

“So I now want to come out in Sydney in a big way,” Tuivasa said. “I’ve been working on some areas I think I’ve been lacking – doing my s … on the low.

“Then I’ll come back and, bang.

“I’ve been through a lot, done a lot, and I feel like I’m only getting better.

“I’ve already been No. 3 in the division and I’m 30 years old – young.

“It’s also refreshing to see younger, athletic guys like Gane and Tom Aspinall … obviously they’re different fighters to me but they get me excited.

“Get me pumped up to keep going and get it over them.

“I went to get it back over Cyril one day.

“I’m in this to make money, feed my family … but besides all that I’m a competitor and I’m on a f …. ing two-fight losing streak.

“So I’m ready to come back.

“I’m ready to fight before thousands of people in Sydney. I thinking coming out here, seeing familiar people and hearing that crowd, it’s going to drive me.”

Shaw, meanwhile, told Fox Sports Australia that while Adesanya remained favoured to top the UFC 293 card, there was no guarantee it would definitely be his title that goes on the line.

He immediately added however that the main event would be for UFC gold.

So as for when an announcement will be made?

“As soon as possible,” he said.

“We came off the July card (UFC290) with a variety of different scenarios and we now have to go through a process with the athletes.

“Hopefully we will have something to report in the next week but (when it does come) it will be something of the highest level.

“And we can say definitively that it will be a championship bout.

“Plus, we’ve already announced nine events, each one with an Aussie or Kiwi, so there is going to be a great local flavour mixed in.”

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Shaw added the UFC could be back in town with another Pay-Per-View as early as February next year.

“And we want to be back at least twice a year from this point forward,” he continued.

“Two fights a year minimum.

“This year we’ve had two Pay-Per-Views, which is big. And I think the structure moving forward will be to have one Pay-Per-View and one Fight Night event.

“But you know how (UFC president) Dana White operates.

“If he sees an opportunity to celebrate and showcase a particular athlete at any given moment, and there’s an opportunity to bend the rules a bit – like we did with two Pay-Per-Views here this year – that’s the mode this company is in.”

Some of the bouts already confirmed include Sydney light heavyweight Tyson Pedro versus Anton Turkalj, heavyweight Justin Tafa against Austen Lane and rising women’s flyweight star Casey O’Neill taking on Viviane Araujo.

Elsewhere, Jack Jenkins will face Chepe Mariscal while New Zealand’s Kai Kara France will take on Manel Kape.

Fellow Kiwis Carlos Ulberg, Shane Young and Blood Diamond have also been given fights – taking the number of Anzacs competing so far to nine.

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