The beef between UFC welterweights Khamzat Chimaev and Shavkat Rakhmonov is seriously heating up. The undefeated welterweights have been taking shots at each other on social media. However, things have taken a bit of an ugly turn after Rakhmonov shared a controversial video on his IG story. Many fans are assuming that the clip was a jibe at Chimaev.
Both Rakhmonov and Chimaev have been on a tear since their UFC debuts. The Swedish-born has a 12-0 professional MMA record with a 6-0 record in the UFC. Meanwhile, the Uzbek-born Rakhmonov boasts a 17-0 professional MMA record with a 5-0 UFC run.
Fans and pros highly rate both athletes. Their recent run of form has put them on an inevitable collision course. However, Chimaev’s weight-cut woes have Dana White planning to move him up to the 185 lbs division. But that has not stopped them from chirping at each other.
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Their online feud has taken an unpleasant turn after Rakhmonov posted a video that is now under controversy for animal abuse. Although Rakhmonov was quick to delete the IG story, the news of it caught Chimaev’s eye and prompted a response from the Chechen.
What did Shavkat Rakhmonov post about Khamzat Chimaev?
Khamzat Chimaev goes by the moniker ‘Borz’, meaning wolf. Therefore, fans are assuming Shavkat Rakhmonov took a jibe at the 28-year-old by posting a clip showing a masked hunter showing off his fresh kill- a wolf. This video has sparked controversy, as many consider it animal abuse.
Russian social media star Hasbulla recently got into a similar controversy after he shared a video of him hitting his cat.
To be clear, the man in the video is not Rakhmonov. The UFC star only seemed to have shared another IG story where they had tagged him. He later removed the video.
La story un peu choquante de Shavkat Rakhmonov effacée par la suite 😳
Le Kazakh voulait-il faire passer un message à Khamzat "BORZ" Chimaev ?
— La Sueur (@LaSueur_off) April 4, 2023
As a response to Rakhmonov’s post, Chimaev shared another IG post about animal abuse awareness on his IG story. He also threw in a few emojis to help represent his feelings on the same.
Khamzat Chimaev 🐺 VS Shavkat Rakhmonov 🇰🇿
Ça continue de se chauffer sur les réseaux ! Khamzat partage une vidéo contre la maltraitance animale après la polémique de Shavkat et ses dernières storys sur la chasse pic.twitter.com/nRoJ2HtDjp
— ARENA (@MMArena_) April 6, 2023
Furthermore, they had also traded shots over some recent Instagram posts.
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Rakhmonov and Chimaev are two of the most talented youngsters on the current roster. With their current dominant runs, they are bound to face each other in the future.
Who do you think will win in a fight between the two? What weight class do you think they will fight in?
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Watch This Story– Khamzat Chimaev breaks silence as Dana White sends him to middleweight
Let us know in the comments below.