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°C fever, skin sores, and hair loss. He flew to Abu Dhabi in a weakened state and still won the bout. Immediately after the fight he underwent surgery and went two days without sleep as his body remained in an elevated physiological state.
Shara "Bullet" Magomedov has revealed he competed against Jose Barrio while severely ill with dengue fever, disclosing the full extent of his health ordeal in a recent interview.
Magomedov said he contracted the mosquito-borne illness during a training camp in Thailand in the buildup to the fight. He spent approximately two weeks bedridden, battling a fever that reached 40 degrees Celsius, and suffered additional symptoms including skin sores and hair loss. Despite being in a significantly weakened physical condition, he boarded a flight to Abu Dhabi and went through with the bout.
He still won.
Why it matters
- The disclosure reframes the Barrio victory as far more difficult than it appeared on fight night
- It raises questions about the physical demands placed on fighters who compete while managing serious illness
- The recovery details — surgery immediately after the fight and two consecutive days without sleep due to his body remaining in a heightened physiological state — underline how significant the health toll had become
The post-fight period proved equally grueling. Magomedov underwent surgery directly after the contest and went roughly two days without sleep, his body apparently unable to wind down from the sustained physiological stress of competing while ill. He described his system as remaining in an elevated state even after the final bell.
Dengue fever, common in tropical regions including Thailand, can cause severe fatigue, high fever, joint pain, and in some cases more serious complications. Competing at elite MMA level while recovering from such an illness represents an extraordinary physical undertaking, and Magomedov's willingness to disclose the circumstances now adds significant context to a performance that, from the outside, appeared straightforward.
