What is progeria and is it the reason behind Hasbulla Magomedov's stunted growth?
Hasbulla Magomedov, aka 'Mini Khabib,' has turned into a cult hero among the MMA community after several comedic videos of the blogger went viral. The social media star from Dagestan is often mistaken for a five-year-old because of his child-like features. But in reality, Hasbulla Magomedov is an adult.
It is unknown what type of condition caused Hasbulla Magomedov to resemble the features of a child. The most common cause behind the occurrence is Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), more commonly known as dwarfism.
There has been speculation that Hasbulla Magomedov has progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) or the "Benjamin Button disease." The disorder was named after the short story and the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Progeria is a rare genetic condition that results in a child's body aging rapidly. In the movie, the protagonist Benjamin Button (played by Brad Pitt) was born with the features of an older adult but became younger-looking as he aged.
Fans of Hasbulla Magomedov theorized that the Dagestani social media phenomenon has progeria, but there's no solid evidence to back the claims.
Hasbulla Magomedov's involvement in MMA
In many of his videos, Hasbulla Magomedov can be seen posing in face-offs with other people. The nickname 'Mini Khabib' is inspired by retired UFC lightweight star Khabib Nurmagomedov, who also hails from Makhachkala, Dagestan.
'Mini Khabib' and his hero seem to have a cordial relationship based on their social media posts. Videos of Hasbulla Magomedov and Khabib Nurmagomedov having dinner together have also gone viral in recent months.
Hasbulla Magomedov recently recreated Khabib Nurmagomedov's iconic UFC 229 weigh-in. Meanwhile, his pre-fight "press conference" and face-off with fellow social media celebrity Abdu Rozik is one of his most popular videos.
Due to Magomedov's popularity among fight fans, there has been massive interest regarding his potential fight. Chechen MMA fighter Asxab Tamaev has allegedly organized a mixed martial arts bout between Magomedov and Abdu Rozik.
However, Russian Dwarf Athletic Association officials have criticized the fanfare surrounding a potential fight between Magomedov and Rozik, calling it unethical.
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