Sharabutdin
“Shara Bullet” Magomedov (12-0) had an interesting encounter
with local law enforcement on a previous visit to Saudi Arabia.
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Magomedov is slated to face Brazilian debutant Antonio
Trocoli (12-3) at
UFC on ABC 6 on June 22 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. However, this isn’t Magomedov’s first visit to the region,
where he has achieved surprising popularity. The Russian has
previously been to the country for Hajj, which is the annual
Islamic pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. While Magomedov hasn’t
been out of the fighter hotel much this time, he was overwhelmed by
fan support the one time he journeyed beyond.
“Yes, I’m surprised that people recognize me here like they do in
Russia,” Magomedov told Red Corner MMA. “People ask to take
pictures in the most unusual places. It’s nice. We’ll be taking
over the whole Arabian peninsula. People know me in Saudi and the
UAE. We’re conquering more shores. There’s nowhere to run from this
fame… When I went to the center once, there was a 100m stretch
where everyone was honking and filming me. They were saying,
‘Inshallah, you win, you win, you win.’ It was nice, but I haven’t
been outside since.”
Magomedov had a run-in with the police during his last visit to
Saudi Arabia in November 2023, after a unanimous decision win over
Bruno
Silva in his UFC debut in Abu Dhabi weeks prior. “Bullet” often
covered his face while walking on the streets for the pilgrimage,
despite which a British fan recognized him. However, UFC
middleweight prospect’s covered face got security suspicious at the
pilgrimage site and he was taken to the police station. However, it
all ended humorously as the police let Magomedov go after taking
pictures, likely having recognized him.
“During the pilgrimage, you have to follow rituals and go out on
the street,” Magomedov said. “Sometimes I had to cover my face with
a scarf. An English guy recognized me. It was funny because there
was no way he could have… Men can’t cover their faces at holy
sites. Security got suspicious; they stopped me, asked me something
and took me to the station. At the station everyone took pictures
with me and let me go. It was interesting.”
“Bullet” saw two opponent changes for his sophomore promotional
outing this weekend. Magomedov was originally booked against
Ihor
Potieria, who took a short-notice booking against Michel
Periera at UFC 301. Pereira was replaced by Karate Combat star and
47-fight veteran Joilton
Lutterbach, who Magomedov even came across at the fighter hotel
in Saudi Arabia. However, Lutterbach was forced out due to a failed
drug test and replaced by fellow debutant Trocoli on three days’
notice. Cutting weight was no issue for Trocoli as he was
originally scheduled to fight Ikram
Aliskerov last weekend before the Dagestani stepped up to
replace Khamzat
Chimaev against Robert
Whittaker in Saturday’s main event.