Zabit Magomedsharipov has stated that he believes the UFC did not want to make him champion because of the dominance of Russian fighters in the promotion. He revealed that he wanted to fight but his bouts were postponed three or four times, making it difficult to reach an agreement. According to Zabit, there was an understanding that if Yair Rodriguez pulled out a third time, he would automatically receive a title shot. However, when that happened, the UFC found numerous excuses instead. The promotion then began offering him different opponents like Zombie and others, but Zabit felt that at the time, only he and Yair Rodriguez were the true contenders for the belt.
Zabit Magomedsharipov has spoken out about what he believes was a deliberate effort by the UFC to keep him from reaching the featherweight title, citing the promotion's apparent discomfort with Russian fighters holding championship gold.
The 35-year-old Russian, who carries an 18-1-0 record, was once considered among the most exciting prospects in the featherweight division. Fighting out of Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu, Zabit is a well-rounded threat who averaged 4.89 significant strikes landed per minute during his UFC run, combined with a formidable 5.22 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination that made him a nightmare matchup for nearly anyone at 145 pounds.
In a recent interview, Zabit stated that his scheduled bouts were postponed three or four times, making it increasingly difficult to maintain momentum and reach any workable agreement with the promotion. He revealed that there was an understanding in place: if Yair Rodriguez withdrew from a fight with him a third time, Zabit would automatically receive a title shot. When that scenario came to pass, he says the UFC instead produced a string of excuses and began presenting him with alternative opponents, including Korean Zombie, rather than honoring the arrangement. Zabit maintained that at that point in time, only he and Rodriguez were legitimate contenders for the belt.
Rodriguez, now ranked third in the featherweight division at 33 years old, holds a 21-6-0 record and averages 4.65 significant strikes per minute with a 46 percent striking accuracy. The Mexican fighter's dynamic style made the prospective matchup one of the most anticipated in the division.
Why it matters
- Zabit's account raises questions about how the UFC managed its featherweight contender rankings during that period
- A matchup between two high-volume strikers in Zabit and Rodriguez would have had genuine title-eliminator weight
- The Russian's prolonged inactivity ultimately derailed a career that appeared to be on a championship trajectory
