In Dagestan, there are two things you don’t question, wrestling and the rules that come with it. If you want to train in Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s legendary gym, you don’t get to negotiate. You follow the code. No exceptions. It wasn’t about how many fights you’d won or how hard you could hit. It was about respect, discipline, and one very specific requirement that, apparently, was an absolute dealbreaker. And guess what, Sharaputdin Magomedov refused to comply.

So, what was this unbreakable law of Dagestani MMA? Something about loyalty? Relentless training? A vow of silence like a fight club monk? Nope. It was… a haircut. “The problem was that to sign up there, you had to have the haircut,” Shara Bullet explained that Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father had three golden rules, “He said three things are important for an athlete, hairstyle, not walking at night, and discipline. The first one, I always had a long haircut,” Reasonable? Sure. But for Magomedov, that first one was a dealbreaker. While others traded their individuality for a shot at greatness, he decided that his hair, yes, his hair, was a hill worth dying on.

But Abdulmanap’s reasoning wasn’t just about appearances. “You want to look beautiful for girls, and for a fighter, it shouldn’t be there. An athlete should focus on their own training and then the girls will come when you’re getting high titles at five levels and you won’t have a single hair on your head.”

Magomedov recalled Abdulmanap’s philosophy. Basically, forget impressing women, just win fights, and they’ll come to you. While most fighters nodded in agreement and took a razor to their heads, Magomedov thought differently. Maybe he figured he could have it both ways, splendid hair and a stellar career.

Fast forward to today, and guess what? He’s doing just fine. Unlike most Dagestani fighters who wrestle their way to victory, this Russian who isn’t part of the Dagestani club chose a striking-heavy approach, and now he’s making waves in the UFC. Years after being turned away from Abdulmanap’s prestigious gym for refusing to cut his hair, the undefeated found himself in Dubai, sitting in the audience as the current Dagestani leader gave a speech.

Did the once-denied Sharaputdin Magomedov finally get accepted into the Dagestani club?

Recently ‘The Eagle’ was delivering a speech about his father’s gym and its values in Dubai. Talk about a full-circle moment for Shara Bullet. And this time, surprisingly, there were no ultimatums, no unwritten rulebook, and definitely no demands to visit a barber. Instead, when Magomedov finally got to meet Khabib, the interaction emerged as one filled with mutual respect. “The meeting was great, and Khabib was very nice. He was exactly what I expected,” Magomedov said, clearly relieved that no clippers were pulled out mid-handshake.

But here’s where things get even better, The Dagestani leader, the very man whose father had once turned Magomedov away, actually gave him an expensive gift. Was it a gold-plated razor, or a designer hairbrush? Sadly, we may never know. But one thing’s clear, Bullet’s decision to walk his own path didn’t put him at odds with Khabib Nurmagomedov. In fact, it may have earned him even more respect.

And now, all eyes are on Magomedov as he gears up for his first fight of the year, against none other than Michael ‘Venom’ Page. The flashy British striker is set to showcase a redemption fight, and Magomedov is the man tasked to be on the other end in the Octagon. And not just any fight, but the middleweight co-main event of UFC Fight Night. The stakes? High. The expectations? Even higher. The hair? Still very much intact.

So, what’s the moral of the story? That rules are meant to be broken or that magnificent hair can take you places? Or maybe, just maybe, that fighters don’t all have to fit into the same mold to succeed. One thing’s for sure, though he might have lost the chance to train under Abdulmanap, he’s doing just fine carving his own way. What do you think? Did he make the right call? Either way, can we all agree on one thing? Sometimes, even in the brutal world of MMA, style does matter. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!