Shara Bullet Draws Neiman Gracie for RAF Moscow Grappling Debut

Shara Bullet is taking his talents to the wrestling mats, and his first RAF assignment comes with one of the most recognizable surnames in combat sports. The promotion confirmed Monday that Shara Magomedov will grapple former Bellator title contender Neiman Gracie at RAF Moscow, set for Russia's VTB Arena on Sept. 5.

Magomedov arrives on a genuine hot streak. The undefeated-turned-once-beaten middleweight sits at 17-1 in MMA and 6-1 inside the octagon, having stacked back-to-back decision wins over Michel Pereira and Marc-Andre Barriault. This grappling detour isn't a total departure for him either — he's already gone the distance in un-scored Hype FC exhibitions against Edson Barboza and Arman Tsarukyan, the latter currently the UFC's No. 2-ranked lightweight.

Why the Gracie Name Still Matters

Gracie brings pedigree that needs no introduction, but his recent résumé is worth spelling out. The 37-year-old carries a 13-6 MMA record and hasn't fought for a major promotion since a 2024 PFL welterweight tournament semifinal loss to Magomed Umalatov. Before that, he challenged for Bellator's 170-pound crown, coming up short against then-champion Rory MacDonald in 2019.

On paper, this is a fascinating stylistic clash. Gracie is a jiu-jitsu specialist from the family that essentially built the sport's grappling foundation, a fixture at top BJJ tournaments over the years. Magomedov, by contrast, is a striker by trade in the cage — which makes his willingness to test himself on a grappling-first stage the intriguing subplot here.

The RAF Angle

RAF has quietly been pulling names bigger than its billing suggests. The promotion's most recent card, RAF 12 in Cleveland, saw Henry Cejudo score a pinfall win over Merab Dvalishvili in their wrestling rematch, while Bo Nickal — the UFC's No. 14 middleweight at 9-1 — fell to 2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly. Tyron Woodley even dusted off his wrestling shoes for the first time in nearly two decades.

For both Magomedov and Gracie, this is a first step onto the RAF mats. It's a low-risk, high-curiosity outing that lets Bullet flex a skill set he doesn't get to show off between UFC middleweight assignments — and gives Gracie a fresh platform in a discipline his family more or less owns.