A video of an MMA match between two short-statured individuals is being widely shared on social media, with many users falsely claiming that the fighters are children. The video has sparked discussions and reactions under the assumption that it depicts underage participants engaging in a professional fight. However, this claim is completely inaccurate. And this claim is firstly posted on X account named @chief117Br
Enquanto no Brasil a moda é bebê reborn, na Rússia…
— Chief (@Chief117Br) May 21, 2025
pic.twitter.com/ARJzRqDqrg
Behind the Viral Video of MMA fight: The Real Story
As this video came to our attention, the D-Intent Data team began an investigation to verify its authenticity. Upon closer observation of the video, we noticed the names of the contestants. Taking a cue from this, we conducted keyword searches that led us to various sources and ultimately to the original full version of the video on YouTube. Our analysis confirmed that the video features an MMA fight between 24-year-old Kholmurod from Tajikistan and 18-year-old Boikobilov from Uzbekistan—both of whom are adults with dwarfism, a medical condition that results in short stature due to genetic or medical factors. The fighters are part of a growing subgenre in the combat sports community, where athletes with physical differences, including dwarfism, participate in organized MMA matches. These events, often held in Central Asia and Russia, are professionally managed, and the athletes voluntarily compete to showcase their skills.
Unfortunately, the video is being shared out of context by influencers to falsely suggest that children are being made to fight, likely to provoke emotional reactions and boost engagement.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) May 22, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: A video showing an MMA match between two short individuals is being circulated with the claim that the fighters are children. However, this is incorrect, they are not children but adults with dwarfism. The video features a fight between (1/2) pic.twitter.com/oWtvXDfK7H
Intent::
Influencers are circulating videos of MMA involving athletes with dwarfism and mislabeling them as children to mislead audiences and attract attention on social media.
Conclusion:
Claim: The viral video shows two children fighting in an MMA match.
Fact: The video actually features two adult MMA fighters with dwarfism—24-year-old Kholmurod from Tajikistan and 18-year-old Boikobilov from Uzbekistan—competing in a professionally organized event.
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