Chael Sonnen recently stated that Shavkat Rakhmonov could get a fight against the likes of Gilbert Burns, Jorge Masvidal, and Khamzat Chimaev in the near future.
'Nomad' is set to take on Neil Magny this weekend at UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot. 'The Bad Guy' feels that with a win, the 27-year-old can secure an even bigger-named opponent in his next fight if he manages to make an impression on the mic after his fight. 'The American Gangster' said on his YouTube channel:
"I think that Rakhmonov is right there. Just bear with me and see that through. Let's say they do a great number, people have been watching the show. Let's say he has an awesome performance against Magny. Great! Let's say he moves to 16-0. Great! But let's say he grabs the microphone and he goes full bore on... He will have everybody's attention. If he goes after Gilbert Burns, if he goes after Jorge Masvidal, if he goes after Kevin Holland, or if he goes after Chimaev, we're having a very different conversation on Monday."
Watch Chael Sonnen talk about Shavkat Rakhmonov:
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Rakhmonov is currently 15-0 with all of his wins coming via finishes. He has eight TKOs and seven submission wins on his resume so far. He is 3-0 in the UFC with two submission wins against Alex Oliveira and Michel Prazeres. The Kazakh's latest win came via knockout against Carlston Harris.
Magny, meanwhile, is ranked No.10 in the welterweight division of the UFC. With a win, Rakhmonov can break into the top 10.
Chael Sonnen compared Shavkat Rakhmonov to Khamzat Chimaev
Chael Sonnen recently compared Rakhmonov to Khamzat Chimaev. Much like the Chechen-born Swede, 'Nomad' is undefeated. He has a 100% finish record which Chimaev also possessed prior to facing Burns.
Both fighters are more dependent on their wrestling than striking. To add to that, the two are willing to fight anybody inside the octagon. In the same video, Sonnen highlighted how the Kazakh fighter is similar to 'Borz':
"There's a guy fighting tomorrow night, Rakhmonov. Do you guys know Rakhmonov? Rakhmonov is 15-0. He is wrestling-heavy, he is gritty, he will take on anybody. I just described Chimaev. Didn't I?"
Rakhmonov and Chimaev are on a meteoric rise to the top of the welterweight division. Fans can expect them to fight inside the octagon sooner rather than later.