Zabit Magomedsharipov revealed he believes the UFC did not want him to become champion because of the already substantial presence of Russian champions in the promotion. He recounted that fights were postponed 3-4 times and that there was an agreement: if Yair Rodriguez pulled out a third time, Zabit would automatically get a title shot. Instead, he says the UFC found excuses and offered him other opponents like Chan Sung Jung. At the time, Zabit believed he and Yair were the true contenders for the belt, but the promised title opportunity never materialized.
Zabit Magomedsharipov has gone on record claiming the UFC deliberately blocked his path to the featherweight title, alleging the promotion was reluctant to hand a championship to another Russian fighter given how many Russian athletes were already holding belts at the time.
The Russian featherweight, now 35, finished his UFC run with an 18-1-0 record and was widely regarded as one of the division's most dangerous contenders during his peak years. Standing six-foot-one with a 73-inch reach, Magomedsharipov was a dynamic threat on the feet and on the mat, averaging 4.89 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also threatening with 5.22 takedowns per 15 minutes — a rare combination that made him a nightmare matchup for almost anyone in the division.
Magomedsharipov recounted that bouts were postponed three or four times and that an agreement had been reached with the UFC: if Yair Rodriguez withdrew from a scheduled meeting for a third time, Zabit would automatically receive a title shot. That promise, he says, was never honored. Instead, the promotion offered him alternative opponents, including Chan Sung Jung. Magomedsharipov maintained that he and Rodriguez were the only legitimate contenders for the belt at that point, and that the UFC manufactured excuses to sidestep the commitment.
Rodriguez, currently ranked third in the featherweight division at 33 years old, carries a 21-6-0 record and averages 4.65 significant strikes per minute. Chan Sung Jung, known as The Korean Zombie, is 39 and holds a 17-8-0 record, with a reputation built on durability and crowd-pleasing exchanges averaging 3.93 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Magomedsharipov's claim raises questions about how the UFC manages title queues for fighters from heavily represented nationalities
- His account suggests informal verbal agreements between fighters and the promotion may carry little enforceable weight
- The featherweight division lost one of its most distinctive stylistic threats without a title fight ever materializing
