UFC Baku: Shara Bullet grabs Michel Pereira’s neck in aggressive faceoff

Shara Bullet made headlines at the UFC Baku ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday when an aggressive faceoff with co-main event opponent Michel Pereira escalated into physical contact. During the staredown, Bullet wrapped an arm around Pereira's neck, prompting an immediate shove to the chest from "Demolidor." On-stage personnel quickly separated both fighters, and they exited without further incident.

The middleweight matchup carries significance for both competitors, who are looking to build winning streaks after recent setbacks. Bullet, also known as Shara Magomedov, suffered his first career loss to Michael Page in February 2025 but bounced back with a victory over Marc-Andre Barriault. Pereira ended a three-fight losing streak this past February with a split decision win over Zachary Reese.

Tense weigh-in confrontations are common in MMA and typically result in increased security at fighters' hotels and additional fines from the athletic commission. The UFC Baku event is headlined by a lightweight clash between Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres.