Shara Magomedov Rips “Hypocrite” Michel Pereira Over Israel Support Before UFC Baku
Sharaputdin Magomedov has accused Michel Pereira of hypocrisy ahead of their scheduled UFC Baku meeting, using a Red Corner MMA interview to attack Pereira over his public support for Israel and his flood rescue work in Brazil. Their fight is booked for June 27 at Baku Crystal Hall in Azerbaijan.
Shara Bullet calls Michel Pereira “a hypocrite” ahead of UFC Baku for Israel Support
Sharaputdin Magomedov has added a political edge to his upcoming fight with Michel Pereira, accusing the Brazilian UFC middleweight of hypocrisy in a new interview released days before their scheduled clash in Baku. The matchup was added to the June 27 UFC event in Azerbaijan, turning what was already a striking-heavy middleweight fight into one with extra tension outside the cage.
“In my eyes, he’s a hypocrite. To raise the flag of Israel after the fight – a state that, in front of billions of people, committed genocide against Gaza, against kids and women and at the very moment when the whole world condemned it, he raised the flag of Israel. Then he went to Brazil to rescue dogs from a flood. By rescuing dogs, he’s just chasing Instagram hype and likes.”
Speaking to Red Corner MMA during camp in Thailand, Magomedov first criticized Pereira’s in-cage style and said he believes the Brazilian crosses the line during fights. He pointed to Pereira’s history of using flashy attacks and claimed he has relied on illegal techniques, while also referencing the fight involving Ihor Potieria that had previously caught his attention.
That quote came from the Red Corner MMA video published June 21, which followed Magomedov’s training camp at Phuket Fight Club. In the same interview, he framed Pereira as someone who wants attention, adding that Pereira’s dog rescue clips became some of his most visible social media content and suggesting the effort was aimed at online engagement rather than charity.
The background to Magomedov’s criticism stretches back to October 2023, when Pereira entered the cage and later appeared with an Israeli flag after his win over Andre Petroski at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. Pereira later explained that decision by saying he had friends in Israel and that videos connected to the war had affected him, especially as a father.
The second half of Shara Magomedov‘s attack referred to Pereira’s rescue work during the deadly flooding in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul in May 2024. Pereira joined animal rescue efforts during the disaster, and coverage at the time described him using a jet ski and boats to help remove stranded dogs and other animals from flooded areas, while his social media posts documented the work closely.
That history is why Shara Magomedov’s remarks stand out now. He is not reacting to a single Pereira post from this week. He is connecting two separate public episodes, Pereira’s Israel flag display in 2023 and his rescue work in Brazil in 2024, and using them to shape a character attack as their June 2026 fight approaches.
In the same Red Corner MMA interview, Shara Magomedov said he has spent about three months in Thailand preparing for the bout, while also training alongside Abus Magomedov, and made clear that he sees Pereira as a dangerous but beatable opponent so long as both men make it to the cage healthy.
Whether fans view Magomedov’s comments as conviction or calculated promotion, the angle is now part of the story of this matchup.
