Biniyam Shibre found love and appeared on season 9 of 90 Day Fiancé reality series with his wife, Ariel Weinberg. That’s what most people know about him but he is also pursuing a career as an MMA fighter. This has earned him three wins as an amateur fighter in the featherweight category.
The Ethiopian-born father of two is also a dancer and singer. Through all of these, he has amassed a net worth estimated at around $100,000.
Personal Profile of Biniyam Shibre
Biniyam Shibre Was Born and Raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
He was born in Ethiopia on April 6, 1989, precisely in Addis Ababa. Biniyam has two sisters, Wish and Mimi. With them, he shared a tough childhood after they lost their parents. Shibre started working at the age of 13 in the fighting circuit to support himself.
Due to the little money he was receiving, he had to sacrifice his transport fare to buy food. Also, the young Shibre was laughed at for entertaining a dream of becoming a mixed martial arts fighter.
Biniyam and Ariela Weinberg Had a Rocky Relationship Before their Marriage
Like most reality stars who found love right in front of the cameras, Biniyam and Ariela started their relationship on a rocky footing. They first met in Ethiopia while crossing the road. Soon after, they started dating, however, their relationship had its share of challenges.
Ariela’s first husband, Leandro Fosque who doubles as her best friend was always in the shadow making it uncomfortable for Shibre. She married Fosque at 19 and they stayed together for a decade. According to Ariela, she never broke up with Leandro but chose to travel the world to gain experience.
Along the line, she met the aspiring mixed martial artist and got pregnant for him while still married to Leandro. Understandably, this complicated things, especially when Fosque’s who was trying to mend his relationship with Ariela appeared in Ethiopia. His presence heightened the trust issues between Ariela and Shibre. Thankfully, Ariela’s divorce was finalized in August 2019, thus making her relationship with Leandro a friendly one.
Another low point in their relationship was during the Covid-19 pandemic which created a distance between them. Ariela had left Ethiopia while pregnant with their child to avoid the impending traveling restrictions. Shibre would later make his way to the US on a K-1 visa. He proposed to Ariela during the Timket festival—an Ethiopian festival celebrating the birth of Christ.
Following her acceptance to marry him, Shibre and Ariella tied the knot on July 31, 2022.
Insight on Shibre’s Dream of Fighting in the UFC
Biniyam Shibre has always wanted to compete in the UFC. So, it is not surprising that he chose to pursue that dream once he moved to the United States. He began his fighting career as an amateur in 2017 under Revolution Combat Championship. Thus far, Shibre who fights under the name Baby Cool has won three amateur fights. In his first fight, the Adis Ababa-billed fighter faced off with Kyle Kaufman and won through strikes.
His wife was initially not in support of his MMA dreams as she was concerned he would hurt himself. However, she had a change of heart and has been supporting him ever since. His last two fights were fought under the Flex Fight and CamoMMA Amateur MMA promotions.
While he is yet to be professionally billed, he has remained consistent in this career path and may one day fight in the UFC, the biggest MMA promotion brand in the world. His next fight is slated for December 17, 2022.
What Is Biniyam Shibre’s Net Worth?
The 5ft-7in MMA fighter has a net worth of more than $100,000. He made this amount from his fighting career and other ventures, like his appearance on the reality show, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way.
Considering that MMA fighters earn amounts ranging from $10,000 to $3 million depending on the fighter’s rank, Biniyam’s earning power is bound to soar in years to come. But then, that’s dependent on how far he goes with his MMA dreams.
From the aforementioned reality show, it is estimated that he pocketed as much as $1,000 to $1,500 per episode. In view of all of these, it is not hard to believe he’s worth $100 thousand or more.
Fascinating Facts You Should Know about the MMA Fighter
1. His Marriage to Ariel Weinberg Isn’t His First
The 90 Day Fiancé couple is arguably a fan favorite. However, one part of their life that is not up for debate is the fact that like Ariela, Shibre was previously married too.
Bini, as most followers of the show calls him, got married in 2016 to Bria. Like his current wife, Bria is also an American woman. She lived with Biniyam Shibre in Ethiopia before returning to the US without him.
Though details about their marriage and divorce are sketchy, the reality star hinted that talking to another woman may have led to his split from her.
2. Baby Cool Is a Father of Two
The Ethiopian-born is widely known to have a son named Aviel with Ariel. However, the 4-year-old is not his only child. Biniyam has another son named Simon with his ex-wife, Bria. Simon was born on January 19, 2017.
Shibre was separated from his older child following the failure of his first marriage. Considering how close he is to Aviel, it seems Biniyam has deep regrets about not being together with Simon.
In an effort to be part of Simon’s life, Shibre reportedly filed for joint custody in the Iowa lower court; this was in September 2021. As of this writing, not much is known about the issue and he is yet to be seen with Simon.
3. Biniyam Shibre Is proud of His Cultural Heritage
Aside from Biniyam’s many abilities which he is passionate about, he is also very proud of his culture. Going through his social media posts, you’ll find that he’s enthused about showcasing the things that link him to Ethiopia.
He has featured Ethiopian cultural music and as well worn the nation’s flag to his fights. His catchy song Dancey Dancey (2020) features an Ethiopian pop beat giving credence to his culture.
Bini is also passing this passion to his son as he teaches him Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia.
4. The Father of Two Struggled to Have His Son Baptised in His Faith
The MMA fighter has been very vocal regarding his religious belief. Biniyam is a practicing member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Faith. And he has expressed several times that he wants his children to grow up in the faith.
However, this is in conflict with his wife’s belief as she is of Jewish background. Biniyam had to put up a strong argument to have his son baptized. He had his way but his wife Ariela refused to convert to his religion.
See Also: Kitty Toombs: What Has Roddy Piper’s Wife Been Up To?
5. His Sisters Weren’t in Support of His Relationship with Ariela
When Biniyam’s sisters met Ariela, they gave her cold shoulders. This was because they were uncertain about her intentions. They were concerned that she might desert their brother just like his first wife had done. In an episode of the aforementioned show, his sister Wish went as far as throwing wine at Ariel.
Their concerns have had no merit thus far as Bini and Ariela have been going strong as a couple. The MMA fighter has grown very fond of Ariel’s mother, Janice. He now refers to her as his mother.
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