Shara Bullet has disclosed that he contracted dengue fever during a training camp in Thailand ahead of his fight with Barrio, spending roughly two weeks bedridden with a 40-degree fever, skin sores, and hair loss. He recovered sufficiently to travel to Abu Dhabi and win the bout, only to end up on an operating table directly after the fight. Bullet said he went nearly two days without sleep following the surgery as his body remained in a heightened adrenaline state, and spent two further weeks unable to breathe normally before fully recovering.
Shara "Bullet" Bulgakov has revealed the extraordinary medical ordeal he endured around his fight with Matheus Barrio, disclosing that he battled dengue fever during his training camp in Thailand and required surgery immediately after the bout concluded.
Bulgakov said he spent roughly two weeks bedridden during camp, running a fever of 40 degrees Celsius while suffering skin sores and hair loss — hallmark symptoms of a severe dengue infection. Despite the illness, he recovered enough to travel to Abu Dhabi and compete, ultimately winning the fight.
The difficulties did not end when the final bell sounded. Bulgakov said he went directly from the arena to an operating table for a post-fight surgical procedure, the nature of which was not specified. The recovery proved grueling in its own right. He described going nearly two days without sleep as his body remained locked in an elevated adrenaline state following both the fight and the operation, and said he spent two additional weeks unable to breathe normally before he felt fully recovered.
Why it matters
- The disclosure adds significant context to Bulgakov's performance against Barrio, suggesting he competed under conditions most fighters would consider disqualifying.
- It raises questions about how the illness and surgery may have affected his training load and physical condition heading into the contest.
- Bulgakov's willingness to fight through a serious infectious disease underscores the competitive pressure elite MMA fighters face when a high-profile booking is on the line.
The account, shared by Bulgakov himself, paints a picture of a fighter who absorbed serious physical punishment well before the opening round. Dengue fever can cause weeks of debilitation even in otherwise healthy individuals, making the decision to proceed with the fight a notable one regardless of the outcome.
