Shara Magomedov recalls Cristiano Ronaldo's advice to him after Michael 'Venom' Page loss 

Shara Magomedov will return to action at UFC Abu Dhabi this weekend after suffering the first loss of his career in February. The Russian fighter succumbed to a unanimous decision loss against Michael ‘Venom’ Page in his fifth fight for the UFC.

He has since taken time off to recover from reported health issues. Ahead of that fight, Magomedov met Cristiano Ronaldo at an Al-Nassr training session.

The Russian fighter recently claimed that Ronaldo gave him personal advice following the loss. The two had a brief but meaningful exchange, and Magomedov spoke about it at the UFC Abu Dhabi pre-fight media scrum. He said:

“He just said to keep your head high and don’t get upset. He reminded me to just keep doing the work so I can come back to the winning streak.”

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Magomedov admitted that in the past, he approached his career more for fun and entertainment. But ahead of his next appearance, he says he has shifted into a more professional mindset.

His training has been more structured and goal-oriented. He is now targeting a return to the win column and a more consistent presence in the middleweight division. He will face Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

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Marc-Andre Barriault admits early doubts about Shara Magomedov matchup

Marc-Andre Barriault wasn’t immediately thrilled when the UFC offered him Shara Magomedov. The offer came just days after Barriault knocked out Bruno Silva and snapped a three-fight losing streak.

That win earned him a new contract and a performance bonus. Despite the momentum, drawing an unorthodox striker like Magomedov felt like a quick turnaround.

Barriault admitted the matchup didn’t excite him at first, but he has grown more confident with time. Speaking at the pre-fight media scrum, he said:

"I'm not gonna lie, at first, I was like, 'Okay, why [did] they offer me this guy? Stylistically, I was not super excited at first, but the more I was thinking about the matchup, the fight and also all the confidence I gained after my last fight, I was like, 'Marc, you belong here, you can fight with anybody in this division.' I have what it takes to be here."

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar