Russian sensation Zabit Magomedsharipov pushed himself additional into featherweight title shot rivalry as he got here by means of a conflict of attrition with America’s Calvin Kattar of their important occasion at UFC Moscow.
Zabit secured a unanimous determination victory 29-28 on all three scorecards, however was compelled to scrap arduous in opposition to a gutsy Kattar.
Whereas the bout lacked the fireworks many within the Moscow crowd had hoped for, Zabit in the end did the tidier work to prevail on factors and enhance his profitable streak to 14 and take him to 6-Zero within the UFC.
Ranked fifth within the featherweight rating, the Dagestani will now certainly have sturdy claims for a shot on the title currenlty owned by Max Holloway, who faces Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245 in December.
ZABIT! ???@Zabeast_MMA earns the UD infront of the house crowd! #UFCMoscow pic.twitter.com/budaE01YF6
— UFC (@ufc) November 9, 2019
The opening levels in Moscow on Saturday have been a case of each males sizing one another up earlier than Zabit started to search out his groove, throwing out some sharp spinning backfists as an announcement of intent.
Kattar got here ahead seeking to make the most of his boxing expertise, additionally mixing in kicks however the dwelling favourite stored his vary, touchdown kicks and jabs of his personal.
Kattar’s efforts have been largely wild compared as Zabit started to land extra persistently, however with out the ability to hassle his opponent.
Makes it look simple ? #UFCMoscow pic.twitter.com/kwT36Iwsx0
— UFC (@ufc) November 9, 2019
Kattar gave a reminder of his menace with some stable photographs and a flying knee try as the primary spherical closed with one other spinning backfist from Zabit to large applause from the partisan crowd at CSKA Enviornment.
The Dagestani phenom stepped up the tempo round a minute into the second spherical with a flurry of photographs and a few trademark prospers.
Nonetheless, ‘The Boston Finisher’ escaped and landed a stable proper hand and a knee of his personal to indicate he was very a lot within the battle.
Going into the ultimate spherical Zabit was forward on the playing cards, however Kattar continued to load up in search of a knockout shot and had some pleasure, inflicting the Dagestani to again off as he regarded momentarily wobbled.
The American continued to push the tempo inside the ultimate levels to take the spherical, with the bout ending within the pair buying and selling punches on the bottom.
Because it went to the playing cards, Zabit claimed a deserved win that can add to the requires the Russian to be given a shot at featherweight gold.
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