Initial reports suggest that Jeremy Stephens could be stepping into the Octagon against Zabit Magomedsharipov next. As of this writing, the contest hasn’t been made official. In the meantime, it’s certainly an interesting one to consider. The bout, rumored for UFC 235, has caught the attention of Stephens. “Lil’ Heathen” took to Instagram to address the possible fight. Stephens seems open to sharing the cage with the Russian:
“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! #Merica”
Stephens comes off a disappointing loss to Jose Aldo over the summer. His three-fight win streak was snapped when he was TKO’d by the Brazilian in the first round. He could be stepping into the cage against an undefeated rising star in Zabit.
The Russian is currently undefeated in his UFC tenure and hasn’t lost inside the cage since 2013. Zabit comes off a spectacular second-round submission victory over Brandon Davis at UFC 228 in September. A fight against Stephens would be a massive step up in competition for the 27-year-old. UFC 235 goes down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 2nd.
What do you think about a possible fight between Stephens and Zabit?
