He’s a UFC legend, he’s been made into NFTs worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and he’s even been on an Australian tour – in short, there’s very little the little man from Dagestan can’t do. Now, with the help of some of YouTube’s biggest stars, he’s proved that his reputation really does precede him, helping to flog a staggering amount of merch…
Hasbulla Magomedov is a pint-sized social media star who has taken the world by storm in the past couple of years, thanks to a combination of his appearance, fighting talk and apparent confidence to square up to some of the biggest names in combat sports.
If you’re a regular user of TikTok or Instagram, then you would have likely seen videos of Hasbulla circulating in their hundreds. If not, here’s the 101: Hasbulla Magomedov is an internet star from the Republic of Dagestan. He became famous thanks to videos he posted to social media, such as his Instagram account, starting in late 2020 – he now has 2.4 million followers.
Having completed a tour of Australia in 2022 (where he hosted several meet and greet events), he’s been hard at work in the months since, growing his brand, following, and cache of viral memes ever larger.
This week, a TikTok revealed one of his most staggering stunts to date. Working in collaboration with NELK, Hasbulla lent his face and name to an absolutely killer t-shirt that made over $500,000 USD within forty-eight hours of its release, bagging Hasbulla himself a cozy $250,000, just by posing for a couple of pictures. Not a bad score.
WATCH UFC boss Dana White talk about Hasbulla and NELK’s hustle below.
NELK, a Canadian-American YouTube Channel and entertainment company, set out on an ambitious trip from the US all the way to Dagestan just to meet the viral star. Flying for over sixteen hours (albeit in very comfortable-looking first-class seats) and then taking a seven-hour drive up icy mountain roads, the team stayed with MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
At his alpine training camp, Nurmagomedov invited the NELK boys to train with him, sparring with some of the team before encouraging the NELK boys to take a Wim Hof-style ice plunge with him before jumping in a hot sauna. After a five-mile run to kick off the following day, they all went down to meet the man himself – Hasbulla.
He arrived in style, rocking up in a Ram TRX, decked out in a tracksuit and puffer jacket, where he enthusiastically met with the NELK crew. They took a joyride around the streets of Dagestan – wherein Hasbulla playfully punched some of the NELK boys before standing with his head emerging from the TRX’s sunroof – and then settled back at base to take the pictures that adorned the best-selling t-shirt in question.
The finished article speaks for itself: a washed-black crew neck tee with a photomontage of Hasbulla as the centrepiece surrounded by the words ‘FULL SEND’ – the name of NELK’s merch arm – and Hasbulla’s name in stylised text, in the style of 90s hip-hop tour shirts.
It’s easy to see why these sold half a million dollars worth within two days of launch: these are an iconic tee that, as far as we’re concerned, are an absolute steal at 35 USD apiece. Made from 100% cotton and available to ship to Australia, if you like this tee, act quick: we doubt they’ll be around for long.
Our Favourite Hasbulla T-Shirts
This premium mid-weight graphic tee, designed exclusively by Threadheads, features great print quality with durable and vibrant artwork that withstands wash after wash. The regular fit, made with buttery soft 100% combed cotton, is ethically sourced and made-to-order in Melbourne.
You can show your love for Hasbulla with this premium quality graphic tee that you won’t find anywhere else on the internet. Designed in-house by fellow Hasbulla lovers and printed here in Australia by Condom Kingdom, this standard fit tee is made with 100% cotton for great comfort.
The t-shirt everyone’s talking about: NELK’s Hasbulla Vintage Tee is a classic fit short sleeve tee made with 100% cotton, weighing a high-quality 6 oz, and comes in a faded, thrift-style black.