Ahead of his long-awaited fight with Yair Rodriguez on the undercard of fellow Dagestani star Khabib Nurmagomedov’s return on October 24, Zabit Magomedsharipov’s manager has claimed he is in line for an imminent title fight.
Featherweight sensation Magomedsharipov has won all six of his UFC fights since beating Mike Santiago in his first contest for the promotion on March 2 2017, although he has been taken the distance in three of his last four victories.
Ahead of his scrap with former Ultimate Fighter champion Rodriguez, which was rearranged for a second time at the start of August after the Mexican sustained a sprained ankle and fracture, Magomedsharipov’s manager, Rizvan Magomedov, has announced that a title fight has been discussed for the 29-year-old.
“We are already insisting that it be a title fight,” Magomedsharipov’s representative told Tass. “It is very real. But several conditions must be met.”
Magomedsharipov has accused Rodriguez of running scared of him but now knows that their fight could prove to be an eliminator to put the winner in line to potentially challenge Australian Alexander Volkanovski for the division title.
He showed his confidence in an exchange with Bellator MMA lightweight and featherweight world champion Patricio Freire last week, responding to the Brazilian’s claim to “reign supreme” by warning: “Lightweight and featherweight goes straight to Dagestan soon.”
Easy cowboy. You not even close to that gold… ? LW and FW goes straight to Dagestan soon https://t.co/gFZXZm9Bbq
Nurmagomedov named Magomedsharipov as one of the competitors who would contribute to what he called “the best card of the year” when he makes his return after more than 13 months out against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 on October 24, adding that the lineup was “full of killers.”
Magomedsharipov did not publicly mark the third anniversary of his maiden UFC victory, instead posting a photo of himself sitting at a cafe table with two mobile phones the following day while asking: “How often do we send funny videos or other unnecessary things instead of spreading the good?”
He also promoted the news that his unbeaten younger brother, Khasan, has been added to an event in Moscow for his third professional fight on September 9, co-organized by Fight Nights Global and the Gorilla Fighting Championship.
