Zabit Magomedsharipov has officially signed with Real American Freestyle and is set to make his return to competition against UFC fighter Giga Chikadze at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14th.
The mysterious Russian fighter exited the UFC scene in 2019 after an undefeated 6-0 run with the organization. He cited frustration over opponents, particularly Yair Rodriguez, withdrawing from scheduled bouts, which left him disillusioned with the matchmaking process. Given what goes on behind the scenes, it’s understandable why Zabit stepped away, solidifying his legacy as one of MMA’s biggest “What If” stories.
What if Zabit had stayed? Could he have become a UFC champion?
We may never get an answer, as Magomedsharipov has expressed no plans to return to active MMA competition. However, his passion for combat sports remains strong, which led him to compete in an ACBJJ grappling event in August and now this upcoming RAF fight in November.
On the other side, 38-year-old Chikadze, though more active than the 35-year-old Zabit, is struggling as well, with a 1-4 record in his last five UFC fights. This matchup presents a favorable opportunity for Zabit’s comeback, and RAF’s reputation for keeping top fighters busy could mean more bouts to come for him.
RAF Abu Dhabi will be headlined by cruiserweight crossover champion Colby Covington taking on Khamzat Chimaev, alongside a rematch of the iconic 2019 World Championships clash between Jordan Burroughs and Azamat Nurykau.
Fan Take: Zabit Magomedsharipov returning to competition ignites excitement for fans hungry for fresh matchups and unanswered questions from MMA’s recent past. His comeback could shake up the scene and prove that sometimes, stepping away only fuels a fighter’s fire to redefine their legacy.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
