UFC middleweight Shara Bullet has revealed he contracted dengue fever during a training camp in Thailand ahead of his fight with Barrío, spending roughly two weeks bedridden with a 40°C fever, skin sores, and hair loss. He flew to Abu Dhabi without further training and still won the bout. Following the fight, Bullet underwent surgery and spent two additional sleepless days unable to switch off what he described as a "hunter's mode" before eventually recovering.
Shara Bullet has opened up about the extraordinary physical ordeal he endured around his recent middleweight bout against Barrío, revealing he battled dengue fever through training camp and went under the knife in the immediate aftermath of the fight.
According to Bullet, he contracted the mosquito-borne illness while training in Thailand, and the sickness hit him hard. He spent roughly two weeks bedridden, running a fever that reached 40 degrees Celsius, developing skin sores, and losing hair as a result of the illness. With little to no additional training time recovered, he boarded a flight to Abu Dhabi and competed anyway, ultimately earning the victory.
The physical toll did not end when the final bell rang. Bullet disclosed that he underwent surgery following the contest, adding another layer of recovery to an already grueling stretch. He also described a psychological difficulty in the immediate post-fight period, spending two sleepless days unable to decompress from what he called a hunter's mode — an apparent inability to switch off the heightened competitive and survival mindset built up through the camp and fight itself.
Why it matters
- Fighting through a debilitating viral illness while forfeiting significant training time makes the result against Barrío all the more notable for Bullet's camp and supporters.
- The post-fight surgery and extended recovery period raise questions about how long Bullet may need before returning to action in the middleweight division.
- The candid account offers a rare look at the lengths fighters go to in order to honor commitments, and the physical cost that can follow even a winning performance.
