Credits: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC and Matt Davies/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Zabit Magomedsharipov’s disappointing comeback update from teammate despite still being good enough to be UFC champion

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 2:45 PM ET

Zabit Magomedsharipov is still good enough to win a UFC world title, but isn’t reversing his retirement any time soon.

This is according to his long-time friend and teammate Magomed Magomedov, who is preparing to fight Sergio Pettis on the main card of PFL Champions Series in Dubai next month. The pair have trained together for years, and Magomedov was a part of his team when he decided to hang up the gloves.

For the past year, the 18-1 Russian has teased a comeback with an increased volume of training videos and comments at seminars. And while Magomedov believes it would take him just six months of training to be able to dethrone Alexander Volkanovski, he reckons that the 34-year-old is ‘finished’.

Zabit Magomedsharipov is ‘finished’, despite being tipped to beat Alexander Volkanovski

Throughout their careers, Magomed Magomedov and Zabit Magomedsharipov were very close friends and training partners. They still stay in touch, even though the PFL bantamweight has since moved over to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team.

And speaking exclusively with Bloody Elbow, Magomedov explained that even though his mentor is still at the world level, he is not planning a comeback. “He’s finished”, Magomedov said in a rare use of English before his translator continued his point.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zabit (@zabit_magomedsharipov)

“I think if he wanted to it would take him only half a year to get back in shape. But I don’t think he’s coming back, I think he’s done. I wish, but I just don’t see him coming back because it’s already been five years.

“He’s training, he’s in great shape and he can kill anybody. If he went back at featherweight, he would kill anybody; Alexander Volkanovski or anyone. But I just don’t think it’s going to happen.”

Zabit Magomedsharipov loves to tease fans with comeback videos

As recently as three days ago, Magomedsharipov shared a video of himself hitting the bag with the caption “6 years have passed and the hands are still stretching.” He can be seen showing impressive speed with fans pleading in the comments for his return.

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The Russian is known as UFC’s biggest ‘what if’, having hung up his gloves on a 14-fight winning run that included six octagon victories. His last win was against perennial contender Calvin Kattar, which earned him a performance bonus.

Health issues ultimately caused him to hang up his gloves, with Magomedsharipov admitting that he couldn’t compete at 100 per cent due to an autoimmune issue. However, his millions of Instagram followers still cling to every training video in hopes he will come back.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: