Shara Magomedov (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) had a quiet end to 2025 in terms of competition in the UFC. “Bullet” only fought twice in the old year, going 1-1 inside the fabled Octagon. He began 2025 fighting Michael Page (24-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Magomedov’s first fight on Feb. 1 ended with a sour note, as “MVP” took the fight by way of unanimous decision on the scorecards after 15 minutes of action. The defeat ended a 15-fight winning streak to begin his professional career in MMA.
Nearly six months removed from the fight in Saudi Arabia, Shara Magomedov managed to right the ship thanks to a unanimous decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault (17-10, 1 NC MMA, 6-9, 1 NC UFC) in the final UFC Fight Night to air on the ABC Television Network in the United States of America.
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On Dec. 30, Magomedov took on fellow UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan in a modified rules grappling match. This contest resulted in a draw, with neither contender locking in a submission within the allotted time.
Shara Magomedov Turning Attention Back to UFC Competition in Wake of Grappling Contest vs. Tsarukyan
With the grappling match now in the rear-view mirror, Magomedov wasted little time shifting his focus back to MMA fights for the new year. Although nothing is scheduled for him as yet, he does have his own plans mapped out, no matter the discipline.
In the aftermath of the grappling match, Magomedov was interviewed by Red Corner MMA about how he’d like his 2026 to play out.
“I’m ready to fight under any ruleset,” Shara Magomedov began, translated to English. “The main thing is to keep the crowd entertained and give them what they want.”
Magomedov also said that he was disappointed with the way that the grappling match turned out for him. Although the bout was scored a draw, he mentioned that he didn’t feel like he emerged victorious.
“I went out there to win,” he said. “Anybody who goes out there with the idea [that] he might lose has already lost. I think I had to win that, but six minutes [to get a submission] is not enough. Next time, I want it to be two rounds, five minutes each, or two rounds, three minutes each.”
Shara Magomedov Doesn’t Know When He’ll Return
In the wake of Magomedov’s Feb. 1 defeat to Michael Page in Saudi Arabia, “Bullet” revealed that he had been ailing with a laundry list of medical issues leading up to the contest.
“I’ve got dysbacteriosis and parasitosis in my intestine,” he said at the time. “I’ve got problems with the bile flow. I hoped to fix this issue, at least, before the fight, but it’s still there.”
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As 2025 gave way to 2026, Shara Magomedov’s still unsure when he’ll make his return to UFC competition.
“My manager, Ali Abdelaziz, is going to negotiate with the UFC soon,” he said. “They just switched to Paramount Pictures and they’ll take a short break in January for three to four weeks. Long story short, the UFC won’t be holding any event for a month or so as they’ll switch from one sponsorship to another.”
“Bullet” Hungry for Revenge Against Michael Page
Whenever Shara Magomedov fights again, he wants to accomplish two goals: One: Return to the rankings at 185, and two: Even up the score versus the man who gave him his first professional loss last year.
“My plan is to get back next year, smack somebody up, probably someone outside the top 15,” he said “then beat someone from the top 15, and next up, the Michael Page rematch. That is a must. I want to prove to the fans that the first time, I just failed to show what I’m capable of. I didn’t show anything just because I wasn’t able to do so because of health issues.”
Final Thoughts
There’s an old saying that comes to mind when thinking of Shara Magomedov and his desires for a rematch with Michael Page: “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” Magomedov was dealt a bad hand in 2025 when he initially fought “MVP,” but he returned to victory lane in the summer.
It was Michael Page who dropped Shara Magomedov from the undefeated ranks last winter, but Magomedov wants to level up the all-time series between the two at a victory apiece. Would you like to see them have a rematch this year?
