One of MMA’s great unanswered questions just got pushed back further. Zabit Magomedsharipov grappling return has been canceled days before it was due to happen, after an injury forced him out of his scheduled no-gi match at ACBJJ 21 in Moscow. His brother Khasan will step in to face Raul Rosas Jr. on July 5 in his place.
What Happened
Zabit was booked to face current UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. in a no-gi grappling match at ACBJJ 21 in Moscow, Russia. The event was set for this Sunday and would have marked his first competitive appearance since his final UFC bout in November 2019. An injury forced his withdrawal, and he confirmed on his Instagram story that he will still attend the event despite being unable to compete.
His replacement is his younger brother Khasan Magomedsharipov, who is making a quick turnaround just one week after a first-round submission win at PFL San Diego. Khasan is currently 11-0 as a professional MMA fighter, giving Rosas Jr. a credible opponent on short notice.
Key Details
Zabit’s signing with ACBJJ had caught fans off guard earlier this year since he had been out of the spotlight for several years. His appearance on the promotion’s roster sparked genuine speculation that he was testing the waters for a broader return to combat sports, possibly even MMA.
That speculation was always tied to this grappling debut. Without it, the picture of what comes next for the 35-year-old becomes less clear again. He went 6-0 inside the UFC featherweight division before retiring, finishing his promotional run with wins over Calvin Kattar, Jeremy Stephens, and Sheymon Moraes. He is widely considered one of the most gifted fighters never to compete for a UFC title.
What This Means
For fans who have followed Zabit’s career, this setback is frustrating but familiar. His retirement itself stemmed from a string of canceled fights, most notably a repeatedly postponed bout with Yair Rodriguez, compounded by immune system issues that made consistent training difficult.
He later revealed he felt the UFC had no intention of giving him a title shot, pointing to the promotion’s reluctance to have another Russian champion at a time when Khabib Nurmagomedov already held the lightweight belt and Petr Yan held the bantamweight title. That frustration was one of the defining factors behind his decision to walk away.
This latest injury means the wait for his first competitive appearance in nearly seven years continues. Whether the setback is minor and leads to a rescheduled grappling debut, or reflects deeper physical concerns, is not yet clear.
Background Context
Zabit retired from MMA in 2022 after a period of inactivity that began with his canceled fight against Rodriguez in August 2020. Dana White previously confirmed he offered Zabit an immediate title shot if he returned to the promotion, but no comeback ever materialized. He stepped away from combat sports and pursued studies in the medical field while remaining physically active alongside his training partners.
His ACBJJ signing was the first concrete competitive step he had taken since retiring. Sunday’s planned grappling match was the most significant event in his competitive timeline in years. The injury has paused that momentum at the worst possible moment.
Conclusion
Zabit Magomedsharipov’s grappling return being canceled is the latest chapter in a career story defined by setbacks outside the fighter’s control. A 6-0 UFC record and a 14-fight winning streak at his peak never produced the title shot his results deserved. Sunday would have been the first real signal of where his competitive future is headed. That signal will have to wait once again.
