It appears Jeremy Stephens vs. Zabit Magomedsharipov is on for UFC 235, with Stephens addressing the match-up on social media Monday.
Jeremy Stephens sounds like he’s gearing up to face the ferocious ‘ZaBeast.’ On Monday, the dangerous UFC featherweight responded to reports of a pending match-up between himself and Zabit Magomedsharipov with a rather inspirational statement regarding the fight. The bout was originally reported by ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.
“I declare to rise victorious again, I welcome the challenge this fight brings and I’m confident in these challenges I’ll overcome in a fantastic performance!” Stephens wrote on his official Instagram. The fight, expected to take place at UFC 235 in Las Vegas next March, will no doubt require a fantastic performance from whoever wins it. Stephens has long been one of the toughest outs in the division, while Magomedsharipov has yet to taste defeat in the UFC.
Stephens (28-15) last appeared at UFC Calgary (UFC on FOX 30), where he was put away by Jose Aldo body shots in the first round. That snapped a three-fight win streak for ‘Lil Heathen’ which was composed of wins over Gilbert Melendez, Doo-Ho Choi and Josh Emmett.
Zabit Magomedsharipov (16-1) has not lost since 2013, and has won all four of his UFC fights to date. Three of those fights earned Zabit Performance or Fight of the Night bonuses. The fourth, which somehow went unrewarded, was his most recent, a modified kneebar submission of Brandon Davis.
UFC 235 takes place March 2, 2019 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
