Zabit Magomedsharipov will compete under grappling rules at an upcoming ACB JJ tournament. The event, ACB JJ 21, is scheduled for July 5 in Moscow. Details about his opponent have not been announced yet.
Zabit Magomedsharipov is set to return to competition in a grappling context, with the Russian fighter confirmed to appear at ACB JJ 21 on July 5 in Moscow. The event will see him compete under grappling rules, though no opponent has been announced at this stage.
Magomedsharipov, now 35 years old, carries an 18-1-0 professional MMA record and trains out of Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu. The six-foot-one Russian, who sports a 73-inch reach, built his reputation in the UFC featherweight division as one of the most exciting and technically complete fighters of his era. His MMA numbers reflect genuine all-around ability — he averaged 4.89 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy, while also posing a serious grappling threat with 5.22 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Competing under pure grappling rules will place a sharp spotlight on that submission game, removing the striking element that so often set up his groundwork in MMA.
Why it matters
- Magomedsharipov stepping into a grappling-only format tests a dimension of his game that MMA opponents rarely had the chance to isolate
- ACB JJ has attracted high-level combat sports athletes, and his appearance raises the profile of the July 5 Moscow card
- With no opponent named yet, the significance of the matchup for any rankings or competitive stakes remains to be determined
