There are some faces that are so well-known and popular on the ethers of the Internet, that you can barely take a cursory scroll through Instagram without coming across them. One such face is that of Hasbulla Magomedov, a social media sensation who is 18-years-old, despite his baby-faced appearance. Having garnered the nickname ‘Mini Khabib’ after recreating a video of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s iconic UFC weigh-in, Hasbulla has become something of an MMA star in his own right, gaining a cult-like following of fans eager to see his training progress.
Now, it seems we will finally see Hasbulla put all his training to use. It’s been announced that he will take on fellow social media personality, Abdu Rozik who is aged just 17. The pair engaged in a pre-fight press conference that has since become one of Hasbulla’s most popular videos online, and now the fight will take place in the coming days, after it was announced by Chechen MMA fighter, Ashab Tamaev.
While some have been quick to brand the fight unethical, claiming it’s nothing more than a contest between two teenagers with dwarfism, Hasbulla’s ever-growing fanbase is a mere testament to his popularity as he becomes one of the most recognisable personalities on social media today. With a face that’s known around the world, here are five facts you need to know about the burgeoning star.
THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY.
— Hasbulla ???????? (@HasbulIah) June 14, 2021
It’s happening ???????? pic.twitter.com/x2as0aY252
He’s a blogger from Dagestan
For those who have been living with their head in the sand and are unfamiliar with Hasbulla, the 18-year-old is a blogger from Dagestan who began posting content to Instagram since November of 2020. It wasn’t until 2021 that Hasbulla really went viral, though, but since then he’s become an Internet sensation with a huge fan following.
He has a form of dwarfism
According to Sportskeeda, the 18-year-old is roughly one metre tall. Though his age often leads many to question how he looks so young, it’s believed Hasbulla has a form of dwarfism, known as Growth Hormone Deficiency. This is yet to be confirmed, but the genetic disorder gives those affected childlike characteristics like stunted growth and a high-pitched voice. It often makes children appear short in stature but with normal body proportions.
He’s known as ‘Mini Khabib’
If the name Hasbulla isn’t familiar, Mini Khabib surely is. hailing from the same place as UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov, Hasbulla is often referred to as ‘Mini Khabib’ and the pair have even struck up a friendship and often seen in videos with one another on TikTok.
He counts Kanye West among his followers
Hasbulla’s videos often portray him pretending to fight children as he showcases his skills and training techniques and in doing so, he’s garnered a global following. It’s even seen Hasbulla count Kanye West among his friends as the pair struck up a friendship in recent times.
His dream opponent would be Conor McGregor
The teen fighter believes he’d wipe the floor with McGregor, and in a recent skit released by Asxab Tamaev, Hasbulla was asked who he’d like to fight between Logan Paul, McGregor, and American mixed martial artist Henry Cejudo. Hasbulla answered, “I want to punish this one [Conor McGregor]. He talks too much.”
