Is Shavkat Rakhmonov's headgear the same as Khabib Nurmagomedov's? Here's 'Nomad's' explanation of its origins
Shavkat Rakhmonov is widely regarded as one of the top fighters in the UFC's welterweight division and became the first fighter from Kazakhstan to be signed by the promotion. Rakhmonov holds an impressive undefeated record of 18 wins, finishing every opponent he has faced.
The Kazakh fighter is also regarded as one of the most dangerous grapplers on the UFC roster. Rakhmonov currently holds the No. 3 position on the welterweight rankings and is set to face Ian Machado Garry in a title eliminator bout in the co-main event of UFC 310 on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Is Shavkat Rakhmonov's headgear the same as Khabib Nurmagomedov's?
Khabib Nurmagomedov regularly donned his papakha hat at UFC events. It is a traditional headdress worn by people from the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
Nurmagomedov and Shavkat Rakhmonov both wear headwear. They are made of wool/sheepskin, but the place and culture that a hat represents varies depending on who wears it.
The former UFC lightweight champion wears it to represent Dagestan and its culture, whereas Rakhmonov represents Kazakhstan and its culture.
According to Mirror.co.uk, Nurmagomedov previously claimed that his friends were the ones who recommended that he begin using the headgear. He didn't wear it during his early professional bouts, but after joining the UFC, the 36-year-old began to wear it.
Shavkat Rahkmonov discusses his reasons for donning a headpiece
Following his third victory in the UFC against Carlston Harris at UFC Vegas 47, Shavkat Rahkmonov wore his headgear during the post-fight interview.
In a prior appearance on The MMA Hour, Rahkmonov shared the backstory of donning a wolf-skin headgear. The Kazakh explained that it is to honor his country and its traditions. The undefeated competitor added that his countrymen gave it to him as a present. He said:
''It’s a traditional Kazakh headdress that our ancestors used to wear during the wintertimes to keep themselves warm. Myself, I feel like it’s a very beautiful headdress, and wearing it, I get to represent my roots, represent my culture and tradition...When I was getting ready for my UFC debut, I got it as a gift...when people found out that I wanted to walk out with the headdress, they gave me it as a gift.” [H/t: MMA Fighting]