Zabit Magomedsharipov will soon compete under grappling rules at a tournament organized by ACB JJ. The event, ACB JJ 21, is scheduled to take place on July 5 in Moscow. This represents a departure from traditional MMA competition for the former UFC contender. The announcement was made via the official league channel. Further details about Magomedsharipov's opponent have not been disclosed.
Zabit Magomedsharipov is set to step onto the mats rather than into the cage, with the former UFC featherweight contender confirmed to compete under grappling rules at ACB JJ 21 in Moscow on July 5.
Magomedsharipov, 35, carries an 18-1-0 professional MMA record and built his reputation in the UFC featherweight division as one of the most dynamic fighters in the world during his tenure there. The Russian, who trains out of Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu, stands six-foot-one with a 73-inch reach and was always regarded as a genuine mixed threat. His UFC numbers backed that up — he averaged 5.22 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking output of 4.89 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy, underscoring the well-rounded skill set that made him a top contender. The ACB JJ setting will give him an opportunity to showcase the grappling dimension of that game in a dedicated submission format.
The announcement came through the official ACB JJ league channel. No opponent has been named for Magomedsharipov at this stage, leaving the matchup details open ahead of the July event.
Why it matters
- Magomedsharipov's participation raises the profile of ACB JJ 21 considerably, given his standing as a former top-ranked UFC featherweight.
- Competing under pure grappling rules is a notable shift from MMA for a fighter of his background, highlighting a growing trend of high-level MMA athletes crossing over into submission grappling.
- His opponent remains undisclosed, meaning the full competitive picture for his bracket or match is still to come.
