Zabit Magomedsharipov was once seen as one of the most exciting young talents in MMA, and over six years ago, he fought in the UFC for the final time.
He was widely viewed as a serious threat to both Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski during their time as featherweight champions. But then, out of nowhere, he decided to walk away from the sport.
And riding an unbeaten six-fight streak with the promotion, there was a time when Zabit was viewed as a future champion who would eventually hold UFC gold.
Health issues have kept him out of action ever since, despite multiple rumours and even a title promise from Dana White.
Zabit Magomedsharipov’s final bout came against Calvin Kattar
He took on then-contender Calvin Kattar in a rare three-round headliner, coming away with a clear unanimous decision win over the Boston native.
Zabit appeared to be on track for a title shot at 145 pounds, handling Kattar well and putting himself right in line for a title eliminator.
Despite several efforts to schedule a bout with former interim champion Yair Rodriguez, the fight never happened.
Therefore, three years after that win, Zabit ended up retiring from MMA, citing health issues and his plans to pursue a doctorate.
White, who had promised him a title shot during his run with the promotion, reportedly tried at least four times to bring him back, but without success.
Zabit Magomedsharipov’s short but impactful UFC run
Before joining the UFC in 2017, Zabit had already made a name for himself under the ACB banner, where he captured their featherweight title.
During his time with the promotion, he picked up notable wins over fighters like Kattar and Kyle Bochniak. He also submitted Brandon Davis with a rare Suloev stretch before defeating Jeremy Stephens.
Zabit was ranked number three at featherweight when he was removed from the rankings due to inactivity and seemed close to earning a title shot.
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