Chances are that if you spend any time on TikTok or are interested in martial arts, you will have come across a video of Hasbulla Magomedov. Even if you don’t know his name, you might be familiar with who the child-like martial artist is. Rising to fame as an international phenomenon, acknowledged by MMA stars and journalists across the world, Hasbulla has taken the internet by storm. But who really is he, and how has he become so famous? Read on to find out all you need to know about “Mini Khabib”!
Who is Hasbulla?
Hasbulla Magomedov was born in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia in 2003. Hasbulla is 19 years old as of 2022. He is known for his babyface, high-pitched voice and his child-like height. Although not confirmed, it is speculated that Hasbulla suffers from Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), which is a distinctive kind of dwarfism, accounting for his unusual looks.
Studies show that those who suffer from GHD may have a decreased life expectancy, they might die as young as 41 or live to be nearly 81.
Despite being just 3ft 4 inches in height, Hasbulla’s notoriety sprung partially due to his larger-than-life personality. He has started posting his life to Instagram and TikTok during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. His early posts showed his hot-headed temperament and developed into insights into his martial arts training, such as boxing and wrestling as well as his luxurious life.
His popularity reached a high in May 2021. Hasbulla has shown off his extreme charisma and trash-talking skills during his pre-fight conference with a popular 18-year-old Tajikistan singer Abdu Rozik, even calling out the likes of the former UFC champion Connor McGregor.
Mini Khabib
Hasbulla earned his nickname, the “Mini Khabib” after reenacting Khabib Nurmagomedov’s iconic UFC 229 weigh-in and posting it on social media. The two have struck up a friendship and often appear in social media videos together. This close relationship and their somewhat familiar looks have prompted many to assume that the two may be related but this is not the case. Magomedov isn’t biologically related to Khabib or Islam Makhachev.
Backlash
Not unusually, Hasbulla’s fame came with a high dose of backlash. His social media performances, as well as his MMA ventures, have been dismissed by many as cheap publicity stunts, based on insensitivity towards issues faced by other dwarfism sufferers. The backlash came from ordinary social media users and organizations alike. His performances and actions have been branded “unethical”.
The thoughts of many have been summed up by the Head of the Russian Dwarf Athletic Association, Uliana Podpalnaya, commenting on the planned MMA fight: “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 has been pointed out that since the actual fight between Hasbulla and Abdu Rozik hasn’t happened yet, and the date is still not confirmed, this comment might very well be true.
Hasbulla’s high life
Despite the backlash and criticism, Hasbulla hasn’t stopped making waves on social media and in the MMA world. Showing off his luxurious life, it has been speculated his net worth may be over $200,000. If the fight with Abdu Rozik is to go ahead, this figure can be expected to climb rapidly. Only time can tell how the career of Hasbulla will develop.
