Shavkat Rakhmonov Fighting Style: Is the UFC Star a Wrestler or a Striker?

Shavkat Rakhmonov is yet another name that devastates his opponents. The welterweight has made a name for himself since his debut in 2020 by winning every single fight he fought. As of now, he’s on a five-fight win streak. With great technique comes fantastic training. So what does the Kazakh train in?

Rakhmonov is an amazing wrestler, like many other UFC greats. One could take examples like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. A common trend seen in Russian fighters is their expertise with combat sambo. Is this Rakhmonov’s greatest asset too?

Shavkat Rakhmonov, does he have a black belt?

Shavkat Rakhmonov is not a karate or BJJ fighter. While his grappling is rather devastating, his go-to style is primarily sambo. But like all MMA fighters, he mixes things up. He reportedly has a black belt in BJJ, but both his ground game and striking are on point. Additionally, he is a Master of Sport in Combat Sambo.

With laser-sharp strikes, ‘The Nomad’ waits for his targets to drop their guard. Many times, he has been clinched against the cage in a seemingly inescapable situation. But this is exactly where he shines. He sets up elaborate traps and lets his opponents make mistakes.

Even against Neil Magny, he let the fighter try to get up from his sitting position. The trap was completed as Rakhmonov shifted his weight and got Magny in a guillotine choke that finally finished the fight. Similarly, he has finished off all seventeen of his opponents.

Many expected him to break under pressure when he fought Geoff Neal, perhaps his most challenging fight to date. However, his skills came through for him. In the third round, before the bell went off off, Rakhmonov submitted the fighter with efficiency. So, will his next fight prove to be a bigger challenge?

‘The Nomad’ vs. ‘Wonderboy’

Rakhmonov is getting progressively bigger fights. That just means his career is on the right track with the UFC. Now, he’s supposed to face Stephen Thompson at UFC 296. There is a stark difference in how long the two fighters have been in the UFC. While the 40-year-old Thompson has spent over a decade fighting for the promotion, Rakhmonov only entered it in 2020.

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Currently, ‘Wonderboy’ sits at number 6 in the welterweight division, while Rakhmonov is at number 5. Clearly, the two are a match-up that could be nothing but thrilling. Will ‘Wonderboy’ outlast and outstrike Rakhmonov’s tactical traps? What are your predictions?

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