Zabit Magomedsharipov Dealing With Immune System Issues, Set For Prolonged Hiatus From MMA

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari - Zuffa LLC

UFC featherweight, Zabit Magomedsharipov is set for a prolonged period away from professional mixed martial arts competition, as he deals with health issues regarding his immune system.

The Dagestan native was recently removed from the official UFC featherweight rankings, where he had climbed as high as #3, due to inactivity -- with fellow striker, Yair Rodriguez taking his place within the division's top-three ahead of his July 17th. UFC Fight Night main event against former undisputed champion, Max Holloway.

Undefeated in his six Octagon walks and yet to suffer a defeat stretching back to April of 2013, the 30-year-old was reportedly contemplating his future in professional mixed martial arts amid health issues, and according to his manager, Rizvan Magomedov, Zabit is dealing with immune system issues, which have forced him to postpone a surgical procedure, as well as his long awaited Octagon report.

"Zabit Magomedsharipov's manager Rizvan Magomedov confirmed what I reported earlier," TASS reporter, Igor Lazorin reported. "Zabit has health problems, and more specifically, with the (his) immune system. Magomedsharipov will not return to the Octagon until these problems are resolved. These problems prevent Zabit from fully preparing for fights."

"In the near future, Zabit must postpone surgery to resolve these problems," Lazorin's report continued. "And then it will be clear whether he will be able to continue his career." (H/T Marcel Dorff)

 

Info about Zabit Magomedsharipov (per @ILazorin) pic.twitter.com/L2dUIVdvNt

— MaRCeL DoRFF 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) May 30, 2021

Zabit, who holds an eye-catching professional record of 18-1 -- has yet to compete since a short notice three round main event against Calvin Kattar back in November of 2019 in Moscow where he earned Fight of the Night honours in a close unanimous decision victory.

The former ACB featherweight champion has also notched other Octagon victories over Mike Santiago, Sheymon Moraes, Kyle Bochniak, Brandon Davis, and Jeremy Stephens, earning Peformance of the Night bonuses against both Santiago and Moraes, and a Fight of the Night accolade in tandem with Bochniak.

Zabit was scheduled to headline UFC Vegas 8 last August against the above-mentioned, Rodriguez in another attempted matchup of the two, however, he was removed from proceedings entirely after the Chihuahua native suffered an ankle injury in the run up to the main event bout.