Shara Magomedov Eye Injury: ‘Bullet’ Reveals the Story Behind Losing His Eye and Fighting OnShara MagomedovShara Magomedov Eye Injury: ‘Bullet’ Reveals the Story Behind Losing His Eye and Fighting On
‘Bullet’ Shara Magomedov is a rising star in the UFC middleweight division. The Russian fighter boasts an undefeated professional MMA record with several wins by knockout. Famously, he has one eye and the athlete recently explained the story behind this. His aggressive Muay Thai-based striking style has made him one of the most exciting fighters to watch and soon he will be facing Bellator standout Michael ‘Venom’ Page in the UFC this weekend.
What Happened to Shara Magomedov’s Eye?
Shara Magomedov embraces his circumstances with pride, incorporating his eye condition into his persona often dressing as a pirate. The injury occurred during a sparring session in Thailand in 2016 and required eight surgeries. Despite doctors’ efforts, he eventually lost vision in the eye and feared his career might be over. Inspired by former UFC champion Michael Bisping, who also fought with one eye.
In a recent interview with Michael Bisping, Shara Magomedov told the story about losing his eye, he said:
“So when I was starting out, I was training I had days where I had good vision, some days bad vision. Sometimes it came back, sometimes it went away. I was training and I was telling my coaches hey guys I think I’m having an issue with my eye and they were like it’s okay just go on fight, you’re going to be all right.
“Then eventually there was a time I had to get through the championships and stuff and I had to go through medical commissions and they were saying, ‘like, hey, there’s obviously something wrong with your eye’. But they let me through and then I needed to tell myself I needed some sort of motivation to be able to fight in the championships because I thought with my condition I was never going to be able to do that, and that’s when I started following you [Bisping].
“I saw that you were also having an issue with your eyes but you weren’t telling anybody because I was doing the same thing as you were doing, hiding it from people and so I needed to speak to someone like you to get advice. When I saw what you were able to achieve with your condition, my condition is very similar, you were a huge motivation for me to be in this sport in the first place.”
Thus far in the UFC, ‘Bullet‘ has notable victories including a stunning double spinning back fist knockout against Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 in October 2024, which earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus. Other wins include decisions over Bruno Silva and Michał Oleksiejczuk, as well as a TKO victory over Antonio Trocoli.
Shara Magomedov is set to face Michael ‘Venom‘ Page on February 1, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 250 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This co-main event pits two elite strikers against each other, with Shara Magomedov’s Muay Thai background contrasting with Page’s kickboxing style. Both fighters are known for their striking and fans are anticipating an exciting contest. The fight is particularly significant for Magomedov as he looks to extend his undefeated streak and move closer to title contention.
