Interview: UFC Fighter Shara "Bullet" Magomedov
We caught up with the co-main event UFC fighter ahead of fight night…
The UFC Fight Night is returning to the capital this weekend, on Saturday February 1, and we can’t wait for all the action it brings. In fact, to keep our excitement at an all-time high, we decided to sit down with one of the UFC greats ahead of his fight against Michael “Venom” Page.
Fighting for the co-main event of the evening, the Russian professional mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter will be competing in the Middleweight division. Here, Shara “Bullet” Magomedov talks Riyadh, mentors, and more.
What’s On: Who’s the toughest opponent you’ve ever faced?
WO: What do you think about Conor Mcgregor’s fight with Logan Paul being cancelled?
Magomedov: Connor Mcgregor has a UFC contract; first he has to fight me, then he can fight Logan Paul.
WO: What’s your dream all-star match, past, present, anything goes?
Magomedov: Michael Page.
WO: What’s the one match you’d show somebody who wants to get into UFC?
Magomedov: You know, I’d show my first fight against Bruno Silva, the first fight in the UFC because that was the fight that had everything. It had MMA, standup fighting, and a little bit of wrestling as well, grappling too. It’s the perfect fight to get into the UFC.
WO: Who would you say is your UFC mentor?
Magomedov: My coach, Gor Azizyan. He’s the guy that’s been with me from the very beginning of the journey. We’ve been working together for 15 to 20 years now; he’s been there for the whole time, the entire journey with the UFC, and before, so definitely Gor.
WO: Do you have any favourite spots in Riyadh?
Magomedov: I was here in June, June 22nd, for the first historical, legendary tournament that the UFC held here. For now, I’m not here to be a tourist; I’m here to fight Michael Venom Page, to beat him, to set a record, and to show myself as one of the best strikers in the sport. Everything else, the touristy stuff, can wait; for now, the fight is the concentration.
WO: What is a piece of advice that you would give young fighters?
Magomedov: Don’t get distracted by all the other hoopla;t get distracted by the fans, the pictures, the promises they give you, or by any other things. Just be focused, train, concentrate on yourself, concentrate on improving yourself, and keep working, and the only way to get to the top and get support is hard work, nothing else. So, if you concentrate on that, then you’ll be successful.
WO: Who are some of your favourite UFC fighters?
Magomedov: Dan Henderson, Shogan Rua, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones, and I also liked Daniel Cormier back in the day.
WO: On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you for the match on February 1?
Magomedov: 9.9. Just need the championship belt, and then it will be a 10.
Images: Getty