5 questions about Hasbulla, answered

Is Hasbulla related to Khabib?

During Hasbulla’s initial rise to fame, he was given the name ‘Mini Khabib’. It stemmed from his recreation of the former MMA champion’s UFC 229 weigh-ins as part of the gimmick where he was rumored to fight Abdu Rozik. The fact that he was from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s homeland - Makhachkala, Dagestan - further fueled the comparisons. 

However, the two are not related. But it is possible they knew each other in passing, as Hasbulla used to be a neighbor of Nurmagomedov’s close friend and prodigy, Islam Makhachev. After Hasbulla became an internet sensation, he has been spotted with Nurmagomedov on multiple social occasions. 

After being signed by the UFC, he was there cheering for Islam Makhachev as well. After Makhachev’s win at UFC 267 and UFC 280, he was seen being carried around by Nurmagomedov inside the cage.

Clearly, the two have become friends, sharing a common love for fighting.

Hasbulla thanked Nurmagomedov, along with Dana White and a few others in the statement released after signing with the UFC. He said that the former lightweight king had helped him in facilitating the contract with the promotion. Hasbulla has also attended Eagle FC events occasionally. 

As a token of his friendship with Nurmagomedov, Hasbulla has also taken it upon himself to feud with his UFC arch-nemesis Conor McGregor. He posted a picture in UFC gear and the Dagestani fighter’s signature Papakha hat, captioning it with “Me when anyone tries to talk sh*t about Khabib.”

When one of the fans suggested he fight McGregor inside the octagon, Hasbulla said, “He has too much fear in his heart.”

In response, McGregor aimed several unsavory tweets at Hasbulla, only to delete them later. You can read the screenshots of the tweets shared by Spinnin Backfist here.