Is Sharaputdin Magomedov Related to Khabib Nurmagomedov? Dagestani Connection Behind UFC Stars

The Russian province of Dagestan has a population of just over 3 million people. This is barely 0.003% of the eight billion people on earth. However, the region is overrepresented by orders of magnitude in terms of MMA fighters. The UFC lightweight division alone has seen two Dagestani champions in the last decade. One of them, of course, was Khabib Nurmagomedov. And the other is his friend and protege, Islam Makhachev.

The region produces some of the best fighters in the world. Another name seems imminent to be added to that list as middleweight prospect Sharaputdin Magomedov, who took on Michael Oleksiejczuk at UFC on ABC 7 and defeated him with great finesse. And while he has found himself surrounded by controversy, there is no denying that he is an exciting prospect. Let’s explore Magomedov’s connection with ‘The Eagle’.

Are Sharaputdin Magomedov and Khabib Nurmagomedov related?

While the two share certain similarities (including part of their last names), Sharaputdin Magomedov is not related to Khabib Nurmagomedov. The two, however, do hail from the Dagestani Republic in Russia and speak the same native tongue. But Shara is not just another Dagestani wrestler because another difference between the two is that Shara is primarily a striker and does not rely much on his grappling skills. However, both Nurmagomedov and ‘Shara Bullet’ have boasted an undefeated record in their professional MMA career.

When he was asked if he wanted to wrestle with ‘The Eagle’, he claimed that Nurmagomedov’s skills were far superior. He said in an Instagram video, “Back then, I indeed wanted it, but not anymore. When I look at Khabib, he looks big. I wanted to wrestle him when he was around the same weight as me. I believe now he’s heavier than me and physically I wanted to feel that strength that he had when he was still competing. But now I understand that he is really¦ a bear, and he can just break me.”

The undefeated Magomedov has won 11 out of his 13 fights via KO/TKO. As such, the fans were eager to see him when he took on Bruno Silva at UFC 294. Unfortunately, he could not register a finish and ended up winning the fight by decision. Nevertheless, the Dagestani, with his elite striking pedigree and exciting fighting style, may very well turn out to be another Dagestani superstar, and his next UFC fight is the perfect place for him to announce his statement in style.

In his second fight in the MMA promotion, ‘Pirate’ faced Trocolli. Needless to say, he rose victorious over the Brazilian fighter via TKO with knee and punches. Now, he is all set to face Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308, as his fourth fight under the banner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The undefeated phenom has greatly impressed the fight fans, and that’s no joke. But now, let us take a deep dive and get to know the ‘Pirate’ a bit closely.

Where is Sharaputdin Magomedov from? Origins and his early life

Sharaputdin Magomedov is an undefeated mixed martial artist recently signed by the UFC. The middleweight was born on May 16, 1994. The 30-year-old hails from Makhachkala, the city Nurmagomedov and Makhachev fight out of. While his ethnicity is unknown, he is a Sunni Muslim. The Dagestani stands at an impressive 6-foot-2-inches tall and is affiliated with the GOR MMA gym.

He started his professional MMA career at the Chinese MMA promotion Chin Woo Men. He has fought in various other promotions, such as The King Fighting Championship, Glory of Heroes, Nasho Delo, ANC Fight Nights, and Arena Global. The emphatic victory in his last fight once again proved how lethal a striker he really is.

What do you think about the middleweight prospect? Will he be able to win and secure a finish in Abu Dhabi? Let us know in the comment section below.