Former UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal will face UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov in a submission-only grappling bout. The matchup is scheduled for March 11 at the Hype Fighting Championship event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both competitors have confirmed the fight on social media.
Promotional officials for Hype Fighting Championship announced that inaugural UFC BMF champion Jorge Masvidal will compete against Shara Magomedov, known as "Shara Bullet," in a submission-only grappling match. The event is set for March 11 at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Masvidal, nicknamed "Gamebred," retired from the UFC following a decision loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 in April 2023, marking his fourth consecutive defeat. A two-time welterweight title challenger, he returned to combat sports in July 2024 with a boxing match against Nate Diaz, whom he had previously defeated to win the BMF title at UFC 244 in November 2019. Masvidal lost that boxing bout by a competitive decision. At 41 years old, Masvidal has 35 career MMA wins but only two by submission, with his last submission victory occurring over a decade ago.
Magomedov, 31, enters his second consecutive grappling match after drawing with UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan. He holds a 5-1 record in the UFC, with his sole loss coming against Michael Page at UFC Saudi Arabia more than a year ago. Magomedov rebounded with a decision victory over Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC Abu Dhabi in July, earning Fight of the Night honors. Despite 17 professional fights, Magomedov has no submission wins and has not recorded a takedown in the UFC.
The booking has puzzled some fans, given the fighters' limited grappling backgrounds. The Hype Fighting Championship ticket page features a poster for a potential matchup between Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington, though no official announcement has been made. Additional fights for the card are expected to be revealed soon.
