Zabit Magomedsharipov, one of the UFC's most promising contenders, says he is retiring from the sport, stating on social media Thursday that he doesn't "feel the way I used to" in regards to MMA competition.
Magomedsharipov (18-1), a 31-year-old from Russia, hadn't fought since November 2019, but there was still hope among the sport that he would eventually return to the Octagon. He retires with a 6-0 record in UFC. He never fought for a UFC championship but was widely viewed as one of the best featherweights in the world.
"Assalamu alaikum friends!" Magomedsharipov wrote on Instagram. "I know that many of you were waiting for my return, there was not a single day that someone did not ask when my next fight was. But I decided to end my pro sports career. Disruptions of fights, and then health problems -- all this did not allow me to perform/fight earlier. I have recovered now, but I don't feel the way I used to."
Some of Magomedsharipov's signature wins came against the likes of Calvin Kattar and Jeremy Stephens. He was scheduled to face Yair Rodriguez on multiple occasions in a bout that might have pushed the winner to a title fight, but the matchup fell through in 2018 and 2020.
Magomedsharipov began his career in Russia and also trained in New Jersey under veteran coach Mark Henry.
Ali Abdelaziz, Magomedsharipov's manager, told ESPN that "today was an extremely sad day for me." He added about Magomedsharipov: "He is 1-of-1. Nobody ever will bring what he brought to the cage."