Zabit believes UFC denied him title shot due to Russian fighter dominance

Zabit Magomadsharipov has stated that he believes the UFC intentionally prevented him from becoming champion because of the dominance of Russian fighters in the promotion. He explained that he was eager to fight but had bouts postponed three to four times and couldn't reach an agreement with the UFC. According to Zabit, there was an arrangement that if Yair Rodriguez withdrew a third time, he would automatically receive a title shot, but the UFC found numerous excuses when that situation arose. The UFC then offered him different opponents like Korean Zombie and others, but Zabit maintains that at the time, only he and Yair Rodriguez were the legitimate title contenders. His comments reflect frustration over what he perceives as organizational politics preventing his championship opportunity.