Zabit Magomedsharipov will always be regarded as one of the biggest ‘what-if’ fighters in UFC history after shockingly deciding to retire at 28 years old.
After beating Calvin Kattar in 2019 in what was his first main event opportunity in the UFC, soon after, Zabit Magomedsharipov announced he was retiring from MMA to pursue life as a doctor.
Zabit’s shock retirement left Joe Rogan devastated, along with the majority of the fanbase who had touted him as an almost guaranteed future featherweight champion.
The Russian was most well-known for his incredible striking arsenal of unique kicks but also for being extremely well rounded and possessing a lethal grappling game, which saw him pick up one of the only Banana Split submission wins in UFC history.
Dana White once promised Zabit a title fight, now he could make his return
Ever since his retirement, fans and experts in the MMA world have called for Magomedsharipov to make a comeback to the UFC, as he has continued training in the sport and has even taken up somewhat of a career as a coach for his younger brother, Khasan Magomedsharipov.
And during a time where the featherweight division has been left without a champion following Ilia Topuria’s shock title vacation, Zabit could be poised to finally return to the Octagon.
This past Monday, one of Zabit’s teammates posted a video of the 34-year-old shadow boxing, with the caption, ‘He will be back soon,’ which has caused shockwaves and hinted at his potential return.
During his time away from fighting, UFC boss Dana White has attempted to tempt him back ‘3 or 4 times’, even offering him an immediate title shot upon his return.
Although it is unclear as of now whether the Russian has been contacted again regarding a potential return to the promotion, he would be rejoining the featherweight division at a perfect time to reclaim the offered title shot.
Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes are set to compete for the vacant title at UFC 314 on April 12, however, following that, there isn’t a clear number one contender to challenge the winner of that fight.
How would Zabit match up to Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes?
Zabit was always widely regarded as one of the most unique fighters in the UFC as he had the ability to dominate a fight on the feet or on the ground.
In a matchup against Volkanovski, Zabit would have a big height advantage, which could play in his favor of keeping the former champion out of range with his long range striking.
Lopes would seemingly pose more of a difficult fight for the Russian, as he is explosive with his striking and can take a lot of punishment.
Despite that, if Zabit’s UFC return is imminent, it will add some much-needed excitement back into the 145lb division.
