Hasbullah Magomedov aka 'Mini Khabib' has promised us a good fight when he faces his Tajik rival Abdu Rozik. In a recent video that surfaced on social media, Hasbullah promises to break Abdu Rozik in their upcoming matchup. As per the subtitles, Hasbullah Magomedov warned:
"No worries guys, the time will come. And I will show you one bombic, spectacular fight. I'm going to break Abdu Rozik."
Hasbullah Magomedov earned the moniker 'Mini Khabib' based on his mimicry of the former UFC lightweight champion. Magomedov, said to be about 18, reportedly has a growth disorder and is from the Russian republic of Dagestan, where he is considered to be a local celebrity. Hasbullah Magomedov currently has 175,000 followers on Instagram.
Abdu Rozik is reported to be around the same age as Hasbullah Magomedov and also enjoys a huge social media presence. Abdu Rozik is famous for his unique Tajik rap style and currently has 670,000 followers on Instagram.
The fight between Hasbullah Magomedov and Abdu Rozik has been criticized
The upcoming fight between Hasbullah Magomedov and Abdu Rozik is being avidly promoted by Chechen blogger and MMA fighter Askhab Tamaev. While the bout has generated a lot of interest among fight fans, it has also faced its fair share of criticism.
Russia’s Dwarf Athletic Commission was the first to criticize social media interests involving a potential Hasbulla Magomedov fight. Ulyana Podpalnaya, the head of the Russian Dwarf Athletic Association, told Gazeta.ru:
"It's not even like a show fight – they get paid a lot of money and it’s a show to make people laugh. There’s nothing serious about this, this isn’t sport. This is unethical, wrong, from my point of view. It seems to me that only on the one hand it can be correct and beautiful – if martial arts among small people are made a Paralympic sport. It could be judo, karate, and people will understand that this is a serious sport, serious performances, and not some kind of laughing show. Events like this don’t draw attention to the sport of little people. If interest in this appears, it’s only because a lot of money is being invested in it. And from the point of view of the sports career growth of these guys, there are no prospects."