Zabit Magomedsharipov is returning to the wrestling scene. MMA Fighting has confirmed that Magomedsharipov will take on fellow UFC featherweight veteran Giga Chikadze at RAF Abu Dhabi, scheduled for November 14 at Etihad Arena.
Magomedsharipov last competed in MMA nearly seven years ago, securing a victory over Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC Moscow in November 2019. The 35-year-old retired undefeated in the UFC with a 6-0 record, which includes notable wins against Jeremy Stephens and three stoppage victories.
Chikadze, a 13-fight UFC veteran, started strong with seven consecutive wins before facing Kattar in the UFC Vegas 46 main event in January 2022, where he suffered a one-sided unanimous decision loss. He bounced back with a win over Alex Caceres but has since lost his last four fights.
In related RAF Abu Dhabi matchups, Jordan Burroughs is set to face Azamat Nurykau, revisiting their memorable 2019 World Championships clash, which Burroughs narrowly won.
The event will be headlined by a cruiserweight title crossover clash between Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev.
Fan Take:
This announcement is huge for fight fans, as it marks the return of a highly skilled and fan-favorite fighter, Magomedsharipov, to competitive wrestling. The event also blends top MMA talent with elite wrestling, potentially bridging two combat sports and drawing broader interest to both.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
