- Sharaputdin Magomedov is the latest Russian sensation to hit the UFC.
- Magomedov underwent eye surgery, losing vision in his right eye, but is still undefeated in his professional campaign.
- The 30-year-old is 3-0 since signing with the UFC.
Sharaputdin Magomedov is the latest Russian sensation to hit the UFC. The middleweight contender is currently unbeaten in 14 fights and has won his first two fights inside the Octagon in dominant fashion. Like Islam Makhachev, Zabit Magomedsharipov and Khabib Nurmagomedov before him, Magomedov, who goes by the nickname ‘Bullet’, also hails from the Republic of Dagestan.
However, the 30-year-old Magomedov is strikingly different from those other names mentioned, not only because of his fighting style but also due to his physical appearance. The Dagestani knockout artist only has one eye, his left eye – a distinctive characteristic that will no doubt provoke fans’ curiosity.
The Story Behind Sharaputdin Magomedov’s Eye Explained
UFC middleweight had to have his right eye removed completely
While he’s now testing himself against the very best in the world, Magomedov’s career was nearly cut short by an injury suffered to his right eye long before he arrived in the world’s biggest MMA promotion. His vision problems reportedly started after a training session in Thailand – and the issues led to the Russian taking a three-year break from competition between March 2018 and July 2021.
Although multiple attempts were made to save it, doctors ultimately convinced the fighter that his best course of action was to have the eye completely removed. In an interview with Athletistic, Magomedov explained the procedure. He admitted that he had completely lost vision in the eye and was afraid of picking up an infection in it every time he trained.
“Before the operation, I was mainly afraid of an injection in the eye. I watched this video. Very unpleasant. I thought that was the most boring thing ever. And there were such operations when an injection in the eye had to be made, where it was removed, one might say. At this time, local anesthesia is administered, but you feel everything.”
Magomedov had a total of eight operations on the eye before deciding that removal was the direction in which he wanted to go. He revealed that his ‘eyes were tortured’ during the process.
“They pierce it from two or three sides. It seems that a puncture is a camera, and the other two are something to pump, upload something there. I had many different stages. My eyes were tortured specifically.”
How Magomedov’s Condition Affects His Fighting Career
Having only one functioning eye is naturally a disadvantage for Magomedov, but he has not let his handicap prevent him from steamrolling his way to success throughout his MMA career. The most obvious issue presented by a missing eye is difficulties with depth perception and the resultant struggle to judge range.
However, with seven finishes in his 10 victories since the surgery, Magomedov has seemingly managed to navigate that problem in fine style. His success in the UFC since now justifies the sizable financial investment that his family made in funding his surgery.
“It took a lot of money. But at that time, I was under the care of my parents.I found myself in a difficult situation – I did not train for two years, I did not fight,” recalled Magomedov. “You can divide my whole career into ‘before’ and ‘after’ this injury. But after that, I collected my thoughts. My friends believed in me, and everything was fine.”Magomedov summed up his decision to carry on fighting when he explained:
“The doctor says: the worst thing that can happen to your eye has already happened. Therefore, you can practice.”
Magomedov has admitted that UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping – who himself fought the latter years of his career with “pretty much no vision” in his right eye – was a huge inspiration to him in pursuing his desire to fight inside the Octagon.
‘The Count’ sustained his own eye injury in a 2013 loss to Vitor Belfort, but managed to adjust his fighting style afterwards and go on to achieve the biggest successes of his professional life. He beat Brazilian legend Anderson Silva, before going on to upset Luke Rockhold to win the UFC Middleweight Championship.
“He’s laid down the path, and he set an example for me, so it’s much easier to follow somebody’s path as opposed to wander around in the dark,” explained the unbeaten fighter.
Shara Magomedov’s professional MMA record (as of 25/10/2024) | ||
|---|---|---|
14 fights | 14 wins | 0 losses |
By KO | 11 | 0 |
By submission | 0 | 0 |
By decision | 3 | 0 |
Any aspirations that Magomedov has of holding the same title that Bisping did, though, may require him to convince regulators in various regions to allow him to compete. Although his vision issues haven’t stopped him from finding success in the world’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, UFC CEO Dana White has expressed concern over whether the fighter would be granted a license to fight in the United States because of his handicap.
So far in his UFC run, Shara has been restricted to fighting on cards in the Middle East. Effectively being banned from competing in the USA would undoubtedly have a negative impact on Shara’s long-term prospects of challenging for a title moving forward. However, in a recent interview, he revealed he had been told that fighting on American soil may be possible, so long as “special agreements” were put in place with the relevant commissions.