“Hey Dana, I want money fight—give me [Floyd] Mayweather! Woooo!” Read that out loud, and you can almost hear the voice in your head, right? That deep, serious tone laced with a heavy Russian-Caucasian accent. Yep, it’s none other than UFC 155-lb champ Islam Makhachev. His delivery? Unmistakable. That mix of stern confidence and unintentional comedy has become part of the charm. In fact, the Russian-Caucasian accent has practically become a beloved staple of MMA culture.

Of course, Islam Makhachev isn’t the first to bring that flavor into the spotlight. The true pioneer was UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. Back in the day, his English wasn’t perfect—but that didn’t stop him from delivering legendary one-liners. Who can forget “Send me location”? That line—aimed straight at Conor McGregor after the bus incident, post the UFC 223 media day—instantly became etched in MMA history. Though retired, ‘The Eagle’ left behind more than a perfect record; he inspired a wave of Russian-Caucasian fighters who now dominate global MMA. And then there’s Zabit Magomedsharipov—perhaps the biggest “what if” in UFC history.

A featherweight phenom who stepped away in his prime due to an immune system issue, but his legend lives on. Especially now. With the soon-to-be former 145 lbs champ Ilia Topuria flirting with a move to lightweight, ‘ZaBeast’s name has started trending again. Last week, a video posted by a teammate showed him shadowboxing, with the caption: “He will be back soon.” That alone sent fans into a frenzy. And just to stoke the fire even more, an old 2021 clip of Zabit Magomedsharipov resurfaced on social media.

In it, the host asked, “When is Zabit fighting?” With perfect deadpan delivery and that signature accent, Zabit replied: “Talk English only… Only, only English, okay?” The host tries to play along: “Okay, got you. So, when are you fighting?” Zabit, cool as ever: “I don’t know.”

Zabit Magomedsharipov’s MMA career may have been brief, but it was nothing short of brilliant. He stepped into the cage 19 times as a professional and emerged victorious in 18 of those bouts. From 2017 to 2019, during his undefeated UFC run, he was widely viewed as the next big thing at featherweight. His final fight came against Calvin Kattar—a unanimous decision win. But his unexpected retirement before even hitting 30 sent shockwaves through the sport. Big names like Joe Rogan expressed disbelief, especially since fans and analysts alike saw him as a future champion.

Like many of his Dagestani counterparts, Zabit possessed a suffocating grappling game. One performance that truly highlighted his uniqueness was his Suloev Stretch (inverted knee bar) submission over Brandon Davis—the first and only time that rare move was executed in the UFC. It’s moments like these that made it nearly impossible for Dana White and the UFC brass to move on. At one point, the Russian was even offered a title shot—but he turned it down every time. So, what has Zabit been up to all these years since walking away from the Octagon? Let’s dive in.

Meet the Doctor: Zabit Magomedsharipov!

Though Zabit Magomedsharipov stepped away from active competition in 2019, he largely stayed under the radar in the years that followed. Behind the scenes, the UFC reportedly made several attempts—three or four, to be exact—to lure him back into the Octagon. But in June 2022, ‘ZaBeast’ put all rumors to rest. He officially announced his retirement, choosing instead to shift his focus toward coaching and mentoring the next generation of fighters. What came next, however, surprised everyone.

Later that year, Sportskeeda revealed that Zabit Magomedsharipov had embarked on a completely new path—this time, in the field of medicine. Taking to Instagram, he shared the news with a heartfelt caption: “The medical world of Makhachkala will soon have a new name.” The post featured theRussian seated at a desk, laptop open, inside the office of Doctors of the World (DOW). For those unfamiliar, DOW is a global humanitarian organization that provides medical assistance to vulnerable communities in crisis zones around the world.

To many fans, this unexpected turn wasn’t just admirable—it was a reflection of the deeper values. Fast forward to today, and whispers of a potential Octagon return have fans buzzing. At 34, is this the right moment for Zabit Magomedsharipov to step back into the cage—or has time passed him by? Let us know what you think below.