Key Points
- Hasbulla Magomedov might be small in stature yet he boasts one of the biggest online personalities in the world.
- He's now in Australia and people are flocking to meet the young man on his first international tour.
Hasbulla Magomedov might be small in stature yet he boasts one of the biggest online personalities in the world.
Now, he's in Australia for the first time, as part of his first international tour.
Aged 20 and standing at just under 100cm, Hasbulla has captured a huge social media following.
Boasting three million followers on Instagram and more than eight million likes on TikTok, Hasbulla has become a prominent face in the international Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) community.
"I can’t wait to see all my Aussie fans and visit these amazing cities, I come from a tiny town in Russia, so I am looking forward to experiencing a different culture," he said ahead of his visit.
"I also know there are kangaroos, I would like to meet them."
If you haven't heard of him, you've likely seen a meme or video about him on your social media feed.
Still doesn't ring a bell? Here's all you need to know about Hasbulla.
Who is Hasbulla?
Hasbulla is from Makhachkala in the republic of Dagestan, which is officially in the Russian Federation.
He rose to fame in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when his videos on TikTok went viral and has since been the face of numerous memes, tweets and posts.
Hasbulla lives with Growth Hormone Deficiency (or dwarfism), and he celebrates his condition with confidence, light humour and entertaining content.
A video that's attributed to his success is a reenactment of a weigh-in of UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, also from Dagestan, that went viral.
Suffice to say, Khabib and 'mini Khabib' (or so he's called after US personality Joe Rogan gave him the nickname) are now mates.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Hasbulla Magomedov celebrate in the Octagon after a UFC 267 event in the UAE last year. Source: Getty / Chris Unger / Zuffa LLC
Why's he so loved?
Hasbulla is a small man with a big personality.
He's revered by a huge online community for his comedy and brashness, using his height and youthful appearance to create creative content that has sparked huge interest internationally.
He even called out Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor last year, saying: "I want to punish this one [Conor McGregor]. He talks too much."
More recently, he made thousands of people giggle at the name he gave his chicken.
Among the laughs, though, Hasbulla is a devout Muslim. He shares his love for Islam regularly, which in turn has garnered him a large Muslim following.
Is he a fighter?
Not officially, but his love for UFC is arguably unmatched - and it's made him a star.
While he has an ongoing rivalry with Tajik singer Abdu Rozik, who also lives with Growth Hormone Deficiency, there's no fight on the cards - yet.
Tajik singer Abdu Rozik. Credit: Francois Nel/Getty Images
What's he doing in Australia?
Management company The Hour Group secured Hasbulla a speaking tour from 29 August to 2 September, hosting two events in Sydney before he flies to Melbourne.
The events are largely meet-and-greets, with people able to take photographs with Hasbulla and receive a life-size cardboard cutout of the star. Citing personal and cultural beliefs, Hasbulla has indicated females won't be able to take a photo with him.
Hasbulla will have a Russian interpreter with him at these events as he doesn't speak English.
Over the weekend he also attended a charity fundraising event in Sydney, aimed at raising funds for Muslim orphans around the world who are experiencing financial hardship.
