Zabit Magomedsharipov wanted to make a statement tonight (April 7) and that’s exactly what he did.
To the surprise of many, Magomedsharipov didn’t do it alone. He had flashes of brilliance, but Kyle Bochniak fought tough. At one point, he even dared Magomedsharipov to hit him with his hands down. The Russian prospect did just that, but Bochniak ate the punches and fired back.
In the end, Magomedsharipov walked out of the Barclays Center at UFC 223 as a winner. He earned a unanimous decision victory. The win improves his record to 15-1 and he’s on an 11-fight winning streak.
Magomedsharipov called for a bout with Yair Rodriguez after the fight. Here’s what he told UFC color commentator Joe Rogan:
“I said from the beginning, he is a very tough opponent and I know this would be a tough fight. I just want to thank him for taking the fight with me because five other opponents refused to fight me. All I want to know is: who is next? I want Yair Rodriguez and I want to do it in Moscow.”
Rodriguez hasn’t fought since suffering the second loss of his professional mixed martial arts career. “El Pantera” was riding an eight-fight winning streak. That bout took place back in May 2017.
Meanwhile, Magomedsharipov hasn’t suffered a defeat since April 2013. Before his decision win over Bochniak, Magomedsharipov had finished eight opponents in a row. He has 12 finishes in his career.
Would you like to see Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Yair Rodriguez?
