"They were no ordinary people"- UFC welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov lays out the history and culture of the Kazakhs and how it helps him in the octagon

UFC welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov recently discussed Kazakhstan's rich cultural history.

'Nomad' hails from the Asian country of Kazakhstan, and is often seen proudly waving the Kazakh flag in the octagon. In a recent episode of UFC Connected, Rakhmonov laid out the rich history and culture of his ancestors.

Rakhmonov discussed how his ancestors were warriors, and are still worshipped by the Kazakhs today. The 27-year-old also revealed that he has been very active in regards to fighting since childhood. He detailed how his older brothers got him into fights in the neighborhood, which ultimately fueled his passion for fighting.

Speaking about his home country, Shavkat Rakhmonov said:

"What makes Kazakhstan different is its soul. People are very friendly, and very hospitable, and the men are very bold and daring. I don't want to boast about my ancestors, but they were no ordinary people. They were steppe nomads. They would move from place to place. They were a warlike people. Kazakhs have always valued their courageous warriors, their baturs (heroes) and loved them."

He continued:

"We were very active as children, we did not stand still at home. Boys in the neighborhood would gather and play together. My older brothers used to make me fight. They would ask me if I would fight another kid, and I would never refuse. I would beat everyone, except for kids who were much older than me. I liked to fight, I enjoyed it immensely."

You can check out the full episode of UFC Connected below:

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Shavkat Rakhmonov's record in the UFC so far

'Nomad' made his debut in the promotion in 2020 against Alex Oliveira at UFC 254. Rakhmonov secured a stunning victory against Oliveira via a rear-naked choke at the 4:40 mark of the first round.

The Kazakh fighter then went on to secure victories against Michel Prazeres and Carlston Harris. The 27-year-old recently took on Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot. Rakhmonov displayed excellent skills during the fight and impressed fans with an excellent guillotine choke in the second round of the match.

Rakhmonov is undefeated in the UFC, and is riding an impressive four-fight win streak in the promotion. Given his recent performances, it will be interesting to see how his career trajectory unfolds in the UFC.