Shavkat Rakhmonov wants to fight for the title soon. ‘Wanderer’ will take on fan-favorite Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in a welterweight bout at UFC 296 on December 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Kazakh has spoken about wanting to fight for the welterweight title if he defeats the #6 ranked veteran. And ahead of their main card bout, we take a look at the interesting background of Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Shavkat Rakhmonov’s ethnic and tribal background
Shavkat Rakhmonov was born in the town of Shurchi in Uzbekistan in 1994 to Kazakh parents. He and his family moved to their ancestral land of Kazakhstan when he was 16. He, like his father, is a member of the Altynbai clan of the Alimuly tribe of the Junior Zhuz of Kazakhstan. His mother hails from the Konyrat tribe. ‘Wanderer’ holds Kazakh citizenship and is very proud of his heritage.
In an interview, he shared his experiences growing up in Kazakhstan. He fondly remembered being asked to fight other boys by his older brothers. He stated that his tribe were descendants of nomads who were fierce, warlike people.
“What makes Kazakhstan different is its soul. People are very friendly, and very hospitable, and the men are very bold and daring. I don’t want to boast about my ancestors, but they were no ordinary people. They were steppe nomads. They would move from place to place. They were a warlike people,” he said.
And Rakhmonov’s next opponent is a warrior himself. The 40-year-old Thompson will not fight in 2023 after he called off his UFC 291 bout against Michel Pereira after the latter missed weight. Given his age, this fight could pave the way for a title shot in the near future, while a loss may sink his campaign, possibly for good.
Rakhmonov to fight Thompson at UFC 296
Stephen Thompson will take on Shavkat Rakhmonov in a welterweight bout that may have title-shot implications. Rakhmonov is ranked #5, while ‘Wonderboy’ is ranked #6 in the division. Stylistically, Thompson is a striker with very little ground game.
While ‘Wanderer’, who comes from a combat Sambo background, has a well-rounded style, with solid grappling combined with sharp and clean strikes. However, his upcoming opponent thinks the Kazakh will look to take the fight to the ground, which would be a good idea given Thompson’s elite striking skills.
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