UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov recently opened up on events leading up to his exit from Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s gym. He reportedly fell short of three strict rules at Khabib Nurmagomedov’s dad’s renowned gym.
“Bullet” took the UFC by storm after joining in 2023, registering notable victories and unforgettable memories in the Octagon. He hails from Dagestan, where legends like Khabib and Islam Makhachev trained to become champions. However, he is on a separate trail in kickboxing, away from grappling, where you’ll find most Dagestani fighters. Even more, he recently opened up on specific instructions that have kept him out of Khabib’s dad’s gym.
Shara Magomedov narrates gym tales linked to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s dad
According to a report from Kirmizi Kose, a UFC-themed X page, Magomedov discussed his experience with Khabib’s dad. He claimed Abdulmanap had strict rules that ultimately sent him out of the latter’s gym.
“Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov spoke about three things that are important for an athlete: first, hairstyle; second, not going out at night; and third, the discipline of arriving on time for training… In my childhood, when I was little, I always had long hair.
To train in his gym, you had to cut your hair. Abdulmanap would say, ‘You want to look good for the girls, but a fighter shouldn’t have these three things. A fighter should focus on his training – when he wins big titles, the girls will come anyway. By then, you won’t even need a single strand of hair on your head.”
Khabib and his father are infamous for a strict adherence to their religious beliefs, which include strict codes and lifestyle regulations. Abdulmanap reportedly maintained this set of rules that defined how the fighters under him train. True to Magomedov’s comments, all fighters who train under him keep extremely short hair or buzzcuts.
Shara Magomedov holds a decent pro MMA record at 16-1-0. His one loss came to Michael Page at UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2025. Reports claim he will return to the Octagon soon, possibly to fight Michel Pereira at UFC Baku on June 27.
