Report: Zabit Magomedsharipov notifies the UFC that he is retiring
Former UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov has reportedly notified the UFC his intentions to retire from active competition.
Former ACB champion and UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov is reportedly calling an end to his fighting career. On Wednesday, Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting, citing sources close to Magomedsharipov, reported that the fighter has notified the UFC of his retirement from active competition.
The rumors of his potential retirement started back last year when it was first reported by a Russian news outlet that he may decide to hang up his gloves, and now those rumors have become reality. In the report from MMA Fighting, it is said that Zabit Magomedsharipov may transition into the medical field and become a doctor now that he is done with his fighting career.
Compiling a record of 18-1 in his professional career, Zabit Magomedsharipov entered the UFC back in 2017 when he made his debut against Mike Santiago, a fight in which he won by second-round submission. He would pick up his second submission victory in the UFC in as many fights when he defeated Sheymon Moraes back in 2017, and then put on a memorable fan-favorite classic when he defeated Kyle Bochniak by unanimous decision at UFC 223.
After his win over Bochniak, he would see a rise not only in popularity and attention, but also in competition when he would go on to face Brandon Davis at UFC 228 and pick up his third submission victory in the UFC, then faced notable contenders Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar. Magomedsharipov defeated both Stephens and Kattar by decision in their respective fights. The win against Kattar would be his last appearance back in 2019.
Following his win over Kattar, Magomedsharipov would be booked or rumored to face rising contender Yair Rodriguez in 2020, but due to complications on both sides at different times, the fight never came to fruition. Now, the Russian fighter has officially marked it an end to his promising career, although many could argue he never hit his full potential inside one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions, where he went undefeated.
