Judging by the reactions on Twitter and Instagram, most of the MMA community is in shock over today’s announcement that Hasbulla will throw hands under the UFC banner.
UFC once created a new weight class specifically to host longtime women’s featherweight bruiser Cris Cyborg, so it’s not unrealistic to think matchmakers could once again conjure up another unpopulated division to fit the next big combat sports sensation.
None other than Dagestani fan favorite Hasbulla Magomedov.
“The rumors are true,” the 3’4” social media star wrote on Instagram. “I have officially signed a deal to fight in the UFC! Details will be revealed by the end of the year. Thank you to UFC, Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov and everyone who helped make this dream become a reality. All my fans will be able to buy a Hasbulla fight kit soon on UFC.com and hasbulla.com.”
Longtime rival (and part-time penguin) Abdu Rozik has yet to respond.
Without a special rules bout, it’s hard to imagine a stateside commission approving a potential Hasbulla fight based on its current protocols. It’s also not in the promotion’s DNA to emulate “freakshow” fights like fans were used to seeing in PRIDE FC.
I guess we’ll know more in December … assuming this isn’t a PR stunt.