For UFC fans, the name Zabit Magomedsharipov always brings up the same question: ‘What If? A unique, creative, and dominant presence in the featherweight division, Zabit seemed destined for title contention. But just as he was hitting his stride, he stepped away from the sport, leaving fans wondering what could’ve been. Now, years later, a new training video has surfaced and it has everybody’s attention.
The slick movement, the sharp strikes, the effortless flow—it’s all still there. And just like that, the hope of a Zabit comeback is back on the table. “Still my favourite,” one fan commented, echoing the sentiment of thousands who never stopped believing.
Zabit (18-1)was a rising star in the UFC’s featherweight division between 2017-19, beloved for his dynamic fighting style and impressive 6-0 record in the organization. However, his promising career came to an unexpected halt.
Several factors contributed to his early retirement: opponents repeatedly declined to fight him, leading to a two-year period without matches. He faced multiple injuries and frequent illnesses that hindered his recovery, and despite assurances, he was not granted a title shot, which left him feeling frustrated and disheartened.
These challenges ultimately led Zabit to step away from professional competition to pursue other interests.
However, 6 years since his last pro fight, it doesn’t look like MMA has left him. Now, it is unclear if this was just a workout or a potential return, but fans are happy to speculate.
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“He is not coming back that is his regular routine,” said one, quick to crush the hopes and dreams of all UFC fans. Another disregarded this comment and added, “Still my favorite though.”
“No1 cares unless you got a fight date set. Stop wasting our time with training videos. No1 cares that your staying in fight shape but not fighting”- commented a fan still angry at Zabit choosing his own interests over fanfare.
“The zabit randleman prophecy is becoming real”, joked another.
A fan on Instagram pic.twitter.com/rRWViA2TwC
— MMAFanatic (@FanaticMma10) April 3, 2025
Unfortunately for UFC fans, we have been here multiple times before dreaming of a comeback, but it is not likely to happen.
Zabit set to follow in the footsteps of Khabib
Despite the hype, it looks like the noise around Zabit’s return could just be a false alarm. Zabit hasn’t submitted any drug test samples to the UFC’s anti-doping program—something he’d need to do before making any kind of comeback.
Also, not long after the video made the rounds, Russian MMA reporter Igor Lazorin shut down the rumors, saying Zabit isn’t planning a return to fighting.
It’s a bit of a letdown for fans who were excited about the idea of Zabit shaking up the featherweight division. With his insane kicks, unpredictable style, and 6’1″ frame, he was always a nightmare matchup—nobody cracked the code in his six UFC appearances.
He left the sport riding a 14-fight win streak and still sitting in the top 5 when he stepped away.
He was last booked to fight Yair Rodriguez back in 2020, but it fell through. Ironically, Rodriguez is still going strong and is set to face Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314 next month.
