Shara Magomedov's Eye Injury Explained. Know what happened to 'Bullet' before his induction into the UFC!
In a few hours, fight fans will witness an explosive striking battle in Saudi Arabia. Undefeated Russian sensation Shara Magomedov faces off against the flashy Michael ‘Venom’ Page in UFC Riyadh’s co-main event. While fans are buzzing about this matchup between two elite strikers, many have noticed something unusual about Magomedov, he fights with only one functioning eye.
It is a condition that brings back memories of UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, who captured the middleweight title despite a similar disability. Like Bisping, Magomedov hasn’t let this challenge stop him from pursuing his dreams in the octagon. In fact, he has turned what many would see as a career-ending setback into a story of remarkable perseverance.
The story of Magomedov’s eye injury reads like a cruel twist of fate from a fighter’s nightmare. During what should have been a routine sparring session in Thailand, Magomedov suffered severe damage to his right eye. Despite multiple surgeries and the best efforts of medical professionals, the injury left him permanently blind in that eye.
Shara Bullet before he lost sight in his right eye. pic.twitter.com/5QqY9GYqGD
— Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) December 20, 2024
At the time, Magomedov was drowning in debt from his low-paying kickboxing career, and this setback seemed like the final nail in the coffin of his fighting dreams. But here is where the story takes an inspiring turn. Instead of giving up, Magomedov channeled his inner warrior and made the switch to MMA in 2017. His debut was a knockout victory in just 43 seconds!
Since then, he’s been nothing short of spectacular, racking up an impressive 11-0 record before catching the UFC’s attention. And now, he is 15-0, wining all his fights in the UFC. The only catch? Due to his eye condition, many athletic commissions won’t clear him to fight, which is why fans will only see him competing in the Middle East.
Shara Magomedov tells Michael Bisping how he inspired him to keep fighting despite his own eye condition#UFCSaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/yvAPO3lsDz
— Scott (@ScottishProbl) January 30, 2025
Shara Magomedov’s journey mirrors the path of other fighters who have overcome similar obstacles, like Bisping, who famously hid his eye condition for years while competing at the highest level. Tonight’s fight against MVP could be the #14 Magomedov’s ticket to the middleweight division’s top 10. And if he keeps his winning streak up, he can for sure fight in the top 5 by the end of this year. His story has proven once again that in MMA, it’s not about what you can’t do, but what you can do with what you have!
(Image Credit: Shara_Bullet77 – X)
mma I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!
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