Shara Magomedov made his first and last takedown during UFC Saudi Arabia fight week.
The one-eyed middleweight contender is gearing up to face fellow knockout artist Michael ‘Venom’ Page. This is in a highly anticipated matchup on Israel Adesanya’s comeback card in Riyadh this Saturday night.
On Wednesday, ‘Bullet’ visited the home of Cristiano Ronaldo’s football team, Al-Nassr FC.
Ronaldo, a close friend of Francis Ngannou and a huge fight fan, was thrilled to meet the UFC star during the visit.
Magomedov and Ronaldo Share Playful Moment Ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia Fight
Magomedov and Ronaldo shared a laugh as they immediately struck fight stances upon meeting.
Footage which was posted by Al-Nassr on X (formally known as Twitter) shows both men playfully throwing punches and kicks at each other. Then, in a surprising move, the UFC star did something fans didn’t expect. This was when he shot for a takedown on the football legend! The two then embraced shortly after and began chatting.
The 41-second video captures Ronaldo signing shirts for Shara Magomedov, who got the ultimate football tour. The middleweight contender also posed for photos with Al-Nassr officials before returning to his focus on preparing for ‘MVP’.
Magomedov Previews ‘Predator’ Mentality Ahead of High-Profile Clash with Michael Page
Shara Magomedov began his UFC career with victories over Bruno Silva, Anton Trocoli, and Michał Oleksiejczuk.
Two of those wins went the distance, so the 15-0 fighter didn’t immediately gain a massive following in the UFC. However, he enters his upcoming fight as one of the most exciting talents on the card, following an incredible knockout at UFC 308 in October. Magomedov’s double-spinning back fist KO over Armen Petrosyan was one of the most stunning moments of 2024.
Now, he aims to secure the biggest win of his career by defeating Michael ‘Venom’ Page, a former Bellator title contender known for his highlight reel of knockouts.
Ahead of their fight, Magomedov delivered a chilling pre-fight message to Page, calling him a ‘predator’. Speaking to Red Corner MMA Magoemdov said;
“I’m not going to look at him as my favourite fighter, but as an opponent who’s trying to cause me pain in front of the whole world and my family,”
“Of course, I know he’s a huge threat, but what he’s going to see in that cage is something he’s never seen before.”
“He has no idea what kind of predator he’s about to face.”
Featured image credit to Embed from Getty Images
