April 3, 2023

It seems that the potential showdown between undefeated UFC fighters Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0) and Khamzat Chimaev (12-0) is not going away anytime soon. Fans couldn't stop talking about it, and even the fighters themselves exchanged some subtle jabs, bringing the topic back to the spotlight. Interestingly, it was Rakhmonov who started it all. In a recent Instagram post, the Kazakhstani fighter wrote, "Some say they are wolves... Wolves are beneath us!" He later deleted the post, leaving just the photo without any captions. Many believed that Rakhmonov was trying to take a dig at Chimaev, who refers to himself as Borz (the Chechen word for wolf). Chimaev, in response, posted a video of a wolf eating meat on his Instagram account. Fans are now convinced that these exchanges are part of a hidden trash-talking game between the two fighters.

It's worth noting that Rakhmonov usually avoids questions about his potential fight with Chimaev, saying that if they ever meet, they will fight, but he has nothing personal against Chimaev. So why did Rakhmonov suddenly attack Chimaev online? It's possible that deep down, Rakhmonov also wants to fight Chimaev, and the overwhelming desire of fans to see them fight has ignited that passion in him. Both fighters have an impressive record of 29-0 between them, mostly by way of knockouts, and that makes a potential fight between them even more exciting. The fact that both fighters seem to have a desire to fight each other speaks to their mutual respect for each other's skills as fighters.

However, as both fighters come from Muslim backgrounds and have historical ties to each other's countries, openly challenging each other to a fight may not be the best approach. For now, both fighters are considering fights with other opponents, but the potential fight between Rakhmonov and Chimaev has become more likely after their recent exchanges. It remains to be seen if and when they will finally meet in the octagon.