Sharabutdin
Magomedov came up short in a tactical battle against Michael
Page in the UFC
Saudi Arabia co-headliner, but it turns out that the Dagestani
striker might not have been fighting in peak condition.
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“Shara Bullet” suffered his first defeat in 16 career outings on
Saturday, dropping a unanimous verdict to Page at ANB Arena in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Afterward, the 30-year-old released a
statement on social media explaining the adversity he faced in the
middleweight bout.
“The pirate sails into the harbor, but I will return,” Magomedov
said. “I knew all the risks when stepping in with such a
nightmarish health condition and preparation. I felt that despite
everything, I could still win—but it didn’t work out, and that’s
it.
“Thank you to the UFC organization for this opportunity and to
everyone involved. I wanted to put on a show and meet expectations
without canceling the fight. Thank you to everyone who stands by me
in any situation! Alhamdulillah.”
Magomedov did not elaborate on the health issue that hindered him
against Page. He began his promotional tenure with successive
triumphs over Bruno Silva,
Antonio
Trocoli, Michal
Oleksiejczuk and Armen
Petrosyan. His victory against Petrosyan — a double spinning
backfist knockout — generated plenty of hype thanks to the
spectacular nature of the finish.