Valter Walker says Shara Magomedov practiced hair-pulling at GOR MMA

UFC heavyweight Valter Walker says former training partner Shara Magomedov made a habit of grabbing hair during sparring sessions in Moscow, forcing Walker to shave his head to stop it.

Walker and Magomedov trained together under Gor Azizyan at GOR MMA before the heavyweight moved camps. The practice came to light after referee Herb Dean warned Magomedov for pulling Michel Pereira's hair multiple times during their middleweight co-main event at UFC Baku last weekend, according to MMA Mania.

Walker details repeated hair-pulling incidents in Moscow gym

"When I had long hair, every time I trained with Shara, he would pull my hair and knee me in the face while holding onto it," Walker told Brazil's Sexto Round, per a Sherdog transcription. "I'd tell Coach Gor and he'd applaud Shara — mostly because Shara is his favorite son. I think that's really wrong, and it was one of the reasons I shaved my head."

Magomedov went on to beat Pereira by unanimous decision despite the infractions, which drew no penalty beyond Dean's verbal warning. The Russian middleweight competes exclusively outside the United States because his vision impairment in one eye prevents him from securing stateside commission approval.

Walker trains now for Thomas Petersen when the UFC returns to Abu Dhabi on July 25.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — UFC heavyweight claims Shara Bullet practiced Michel Pereira hair-pulling in training — ‘One of the reasons I shaved my head’