Zabit Magomedsharipov withdraws from grappling return with injury

Former UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov has pulled out of his scheduled grappling match against Raul Rosas Jr. this Sunday due to injury, according to MMA Mania.

The Russian was set to face current UFC bantamweight Rosas Jr. in a no-gi bout at ACBJJ 21 in Moscow, marking his first competitive appearance since defeating Calvin Kattar by decision at UFC Moscow in 2019. His younger brother Khasan Magomedsharipov will step in as a replacement and headline the card instead.

Brother steps in after Zabit's latest cancellation

Zabit confirmed on Instagram that he will attend the event despite being unable to compete. Khasan is coming off a first-round submission victory at PFL San Diego last weekend.

The 35-year-old has a history of canceled bouts that contributed to his departure from MMA. He was scheduled to meet Yair Rodriguez in August 2020, but Rodriguez withdrew and Zabit never returned to the octagon. His surprise signing with the grappling promotion earlier this year fueled speculation about a potential comeback to combat sports.

Magomedsharipov was considered one of the UFC's brightest featherweight prospects before his career stalled. His signing with ACBJJ represented his first public move back toward competition in over half a decade.

The ACBJJ 21 card proceeds Sunday in Moscow with Khasan Magomedsharipov facing Rosas Jr. in the main event.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Oh no! Zabit Magomedsharipov’s return to competition postponed due to injury, brother replaces him