There may be no bigger ‘what if’ story in recent UFC history than the MMA career of Zabit Magomedsharipov. The Dagestani first made waves on the regional scene, winning a featherweight title with Absolute Championship Berkut, and running up a 12-1 record on his way to a contract with the world’s largest MMA promotion.
Known for his high energy, creative striking style, and scrappy, scrambling wrestling game, Magomedsharipov went 6-0 in a little over two years of fighting inside the Octagon. With a victory over Calvin Kattar in late 2019, he seemed on the cusp of his first UFC title shot.