The UFC has occasionally been at the receiving end of criticism for feeding veteran fighters to hungry up-and-comers and this time it might be Derek Brunson getting the short end of the stick. Fans did not take it kindly when UFC legend Frankie Edgar had to fight Chris Gutierrez in his retirement bout. Similarly, the UFC’s matchmaking was frowned upon when they booked Nate Diaz against the destructive Khamzat Chimaev for Diaz’s last contracted bout.

Now, reports of a similar booking have surfaced, and fans are in shock again. At the end of 2022, the UFC announced the signing of 28-year-old Sharaputdin Magomedov to its roster. The undefeated Dagestani had built a reputation for being one of the scariest fighters out there. The middleweight star has a 17-0 record, with 13 of them being KOs. At the time of his signing, he was expected to debut in the middle of 2023 or later.

The latest reports have confirmed this initial assumption. If rumors are true, ‘Bullet’ will make his debut inside the famed octagon at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. This is a sensible move considering the fanbase Dagestani fighters have in the country. However, what has taken the fans by surprise is who is facing in his debut.

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According to the latest news, UFC veteran Derek Brunson will welcome Magomedov to the UFC in Abu Dhabi. The #8 ranked UFC middleweight contender would be a huge welcome fight for ‘Shara Bullet.’ With a win, the 17-0 Russian could enter the top 10 rankings right from the get-go.

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However, fans are worried about Brunson if he actually ends up fighting Magomedov. ‘The One’ is on a two-fight losing streak and is 39 years old. While a title run may be behind him, fans do not want to see him becoming cannon fodder.

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Some fans shared their excitement at finally seeing Magomedov in the UFC.

Some others showed concern for Brunson.

One of them said that Brunson was becoming a gatekeeper for the division since his recent losses were to champions, title contenders, and other elite fighters.

One fan called for Brunson to retire and give Magomedov a walkover, hinting at how much of a mismatch this was.

Meanwhile, another fan backed Brunson to win by TKO, citing the lack of experience from Magomedov.

However, the others continued lamenting for Brunson.

Derek Brunson has been a notable presence in the division for years now. He possesses the talent and experience to spoil Magomedov’s welcome party in Abu Dhabi. But can he do it?

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If this fight does happen, who are you picking to win? And what are your thoughts on the matchmaking for this potential fight? Let us know in the comments.