"Amazing feat" - Shavkat Rakhmonov's achievement outdid those of Tiger Woods and LeBron James, says UFC legend
UFC legend Chael Sonnen believes Shavkat Rakhmonov's achievements haven't been recognized enough by the mainstream media.
Rakhmonov recently earned the biggest win of his career so far when he faced Stephen Thompson at UFC 296. 'Nomad' dominated the fight with his wrestling and grappling, and eventually submitted 'Wonderboy' in the second round.
The win not only handed Thompson the first submission loss of his career, but it also extended Rakhmonov's undefeated streak and finish streak to 18-0 (8 KO, 10 SUB).
Shavkat Rakhmonov's victory has also seen him enter the welterweight division's top 3 rankings for the first time and put him on the cusp of a title shot against Leon Edwards. As it stands, it appears as though 'Rocky' will face either Rakhmonov or Belal Muhammad next.
Weighing in on Rakhmonov's career so far was Chael Sonnen, who returned to The MMA Hour after his public fallout with Ariel Hewalni. Sonnen stated that it was a tragedy Rakhmonov's accomplishments weren't yet being recognized and compared to the likes of other sports stars. He explained:
"18 fights, all by finish by the way. That should be on the cover on Sports Illustrated. I don't know how that's being missed. LeBron James has not won 18 games straight, Tiger Woods has not won 18 tournaments straight. This is an amazing feat partner."
Catch Sonnen's comments here (6:40):
Belal Muhammad outlines why he deserves title shot over Shavkat Rakhmonov
Belal Muhammad has put forth the reasons why he believes he deserves to face Leon Edwards for the welterweight title before Shavkat Rakhmonov.
According to Muhammad, not only is his No.2 spot in the welterweight rankings an indicator that he should be next, but his 10-fight undefeated run should also put him in contention. 'Remember the Name' has been undefeated since 2019 and has picked up notable wins over names like 'Wonderboy', Gilbert Burns, and Demian Maia.
Speaking on a recent episode of the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Muhammad doubled down on his claim for a title shot and stated that despite Rakhmonov's rise, there is nobody more deserving than him. He said:
"I haven't lost in five years. There's nobody that should be ahead of me for this title fight. There's nothing that should be said. Even when I took that Gilbert Burns fight, they said, 'If you win, you're the number-one contender.' That's it. There's nothing else."
Catch Muhammad's comments here (14:40):