Outside Source
Sharabutdin Magomedov has some big shoes to fill in if he wants to be the new face of Dagestani striking.
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Magomedov is an elite striker from Dagestan, which is more famous for producing some of the greatest grapplers in MMA history. Commonly known as “Shara Bullet,” Magomedov made his UFC debut at UFC 294 in October 2023, putting on a striking clinic to earn a unanimous decision win over Bruno Silva. After the fight, UFC CEO Dana White expressed surprise at the undefeated Dagestani’s unwillingness to wrestle. Instead of being deterred, Magomedov was motivated by White’s comments.
“It’s a sort of hype for me,” he told Red Corner MMA. “People must be tired of Dagestani wrestling; they want to see Dagestani striking! Here you go, I have arrived!”
Prior to Magomedov, Zabit Magomedsharipov was arguably the torchbearer of elite Dagestani striking. A highly versatile mixed martial artist, Magomedsharipov displayed a unique mix of elite wrestling and striking during his promising but short-lived UFC career. The featherweight contender made his UFC debut in 2017 and went undefeated in six outings, besting the likes of Kyle Bochniak, Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar during his promotional tenure.
However, Magomedsharipov went on a long hiatus following his unanimous decision win over Kattar in November 2019. Magomedsharipov would never return to action, officially announcing his retirement from the sport in June 2022. As for the reason behind his retirement, the Dagestani standout pointed to “fight disruptions” and lingering health issues. Magomedsharipov has seemingly taken up medical studies since and has dismissed the idea of a potential return to MMA.
“Shara Bullet” humbly responded to comparisons with Magomedsharipov, admitting that it would be difficult to replace the featherweight as the face of Dagestani striking in the UFC. Magomedov, a middleweight, notes that it would be tough to replicate Magomedsharipov’s clean and sophisticated stand up game in his division.
“It would be hard to outshine Zabit,” he said. “He is very sophisticated, he is very fast. Also, he is pretty light. I’m [30 to 45 pounds] heavier than him. It would be hard for me to perform the techniques he showcased in his fights, at least that clean, because I’m in a heavier weight class.”
Magomedov was originally scheduled to face Ihor Poteira at UFC Saudi Arabia on June 22 before the Brazilian accepted a short notice UFC 301 outing against Michel Pereira last month. Magomedov will now fight 47-fight veteran Joilton Lutterbach, who makes his UFC debut.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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