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Blue Corner

Hasbulla says he has ‘officially signed a deal to fight in the UFC’

You know that italicized paragraph we put at the bottom of the stories that run under The Blue Corner umbrella? Maybe you should skip ahead and read that part first. Go ahead. We’ll wait.

You’re back? OK, then. It’s possible we’ll have to beg forgiveness later if this turns out to be 100 percent legit and true, but for now please understand our mild skepticism from the Thursday announcement of a new fighter signing by the UFC.

Hasbulla Magomedov, the MMA world’s 19-year-old viral Internet sensation from Dagestan, posted on Instagram to say he has “signed a deal to fight in the UFC.”

Hasbulla, affectionately known in MMA circles as “Mini Khabib” after former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, has a genetic disorder and is a reported 3-foot-4 and weighs roughly 40 pounds.

Suffice it to say, the UFC does not currently have a 40-pound weight class. It’s possible Hasbulla has set something up with the UFC to “fight” in something other than a sanctioned MMA matchup – like a grappling exhibition or something.

But taken at face value, his claim of “a deal to fight in the UFC” no doubt leaves plenty of people asking plenty of logical questions.

According to his post, though, if you’re looking for details, you’ll have to wait a little longer. He said we’ll all find out by year’s end.

Until then, we’ll apparently be able to order his fight kit soon.

“The rumors are true,” Hasbulla posted. “I have officially signed a deal to fight in the UFC! Details will be revealed by the end of the year. Thank you to @ufc , @danawhite , @khabib_nurmagomedov , @sungurov_usa , @justinozuna and everyone who helped make this dream become a reality. All my fans will be able to buy a Hasbulla fight kit soon on UFC.com and hasbulla.com.”

Hasbulla, alongside Nurmagomedov, is expected to be in Islam Makhachev’s corner next week at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi for his vacant lightweight title fight against former champion Charles Oliveira.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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