Zabit Magomedsharipov talks UFC return, Justin Gaethje mocks Conor McGregor, fans question if Andrew Tate Grindr leak is real: MMA News Roundup
Welcome to Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup, where we present the biggest UFC news updates and other stories from the world of mixed martial arts.
In today's issue, we discuss Zabit Magomedsharipov, Justin Gaethje's take on Conor McGregor, and more.
#3. Will Zabit Magomedsharipov ever return to the UFC?
Zabit Magomedsharipov continues to be the biggest 'what if' in the UFC.
With his brief stint at featherweight, the Russian managed to grab the attention of MMA fans and experts alike. It is unanimously believed that he left the sport too soon and the world was robbed of his combat sports brilliance.
In a recent interview with URF Media, Magomedsharipov admitted that he was approached by the UFC to return and was even tempted with an immediate title shot.
However, he remained steadfast in his decision to remain retired:
"It was the same, they immediately offered a fight for the belt. But I still said no." [h/t Sports24]
It was initially believed that he had quit because of his religion interfering with the idea of violence. However, it was later discovered that health issues were a key factor behind his decision.
In a previous interview, Magomedsharipov expressed disdain towards the UFC for not keeping their word and failing to book him for a title fight. He later chose to pursue medicine after hanging up his fighting gloves.
#2. Justin Gaethje is hopeless about Conor McGregor's return
Once Conor McGregor and Justin Gaethje were part of an elite club - the top five lightweights capable of both bringing eyeballs and putting up barnburner fights. There was always a possibility the two would fight each other at some point and it may have been a reality if McGregor chose to stay active.
However, after McGregor's myriad of antics and his long hiatus from UFC, Gaethje is no longer interested in him. The Irishman going out of his way to start and rekindle feuds does not help his cause either. In a tweet earlier this year, McGregor made an insensitive ableist joke about 'The Highlight' as well, calling him 'handicapped'.
When asked by TMZ Sports if he'd be willing to consider McGregor still, Gaethje gave a straight no. Moreover, he stated that he doesn't believe the Dubliner has any intentions of fighting Michael Chandler either:
"We're way past that [discussing Conor McGregor]. He's not even gonna fight Michael Chandler."
Watch the comments below from the 3:33 mark:
#1. Fans refuse to believe Andrew Tate's Grindr DM leaks are authentic
A rather X-rated photo of Andrew Tate went viral on social media on Sunday. The NSFW picture seemed like a part of a leaked DM on Grindr, an online dating app largely popular among gay and bisexual men.
Fans on a Reddit thread delved deep into the matter and speculated that the pictures may not have been authentic.
Check out the Reddit thread here: (WARNING: VIEWER'S DISCRETION ADVISED)
One user said it would not be surprising for Tate to have a Grindr account, but he is smart enough to not undergo such a breach of privacy. Two others suggested the pictures were fake or rather 'deep fake', a practice where the face of a person is edited on the body of another largely used to spread misinformation.