In a stunning revelation made by Shavkat Rakhmonov, the Kazakh claimed that several fighters turned him down for a fight at UFC 310. Rakhmonov was seeking an opponent after Belal Muhammad pulled out of the event. So Kamaru Usman was a name that was expected to step in, and he even accepted the fight. However, the 37-year-old decided to back out, and it surely did not sit well with fans and ‘Nomad’ alike. But why did he back out? Well, as per fans, he was afraid of facing the 18-0-0. But Usman has a different answer.
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman expressed his dissatisfaction with comments from some fans suggesting he is afraid to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, one of the division’s most promising contenders.
During an interview with Pound for Pound Show, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ did not hesitate to respond to these claims, making his stance clear that he simply wasn’t interested, as he invoked comparisons with Jon Jones.
He said, “I’m seeing online people go, ‘Oh, you scared? You ducked him?’ Like, what? This is the same sentiment that I feel like people are doing to Jon Jones. It’s just like when people, where your fans, or fans of a fighter, don’t get their desired wish that they want. We step in there each and every time. I have (24) fights. World champion and defended belts time and time again, ‘Oh, he’s scared.’ Yeah, shut up. Just because you didn’t get what you wanted? Guess what, it’s like your mom telling you, ‘No, you can’t have that toy today,” said Usman.
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Shavkat Rakhmonov, with an unbeaten record and an impressive run of finals, has become a big name in the division, leading fans to speculate about a potential matchup between him and Kamaru Usman. However, the Nigerian made it clear that he had nothing to provide in terms of his bravery inside the Octagon. But the Kazakh fighter believes that Usman is afraid of facing him.
Shavkat Rakhmonov reveals the motive behind Kamaru Usman pulling out
Although this possible fight between ‘Nomad’ and ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ did not take place, the potential rivalry between the duo promises to generate great interest among fans of the sport. So will we get a future fight between the two? Well, that seems to be tough, especially because Rakhmonov believes that Kamaru Usman is afraid of facing him. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, the 18-0-0 revealed the true reason why he believes Usman decided not to fight him.
He said, “I wanted to fight Kamaru Usman, but he didn’t accept the fight. Honestly, I don’t know. In the beginning, (Usman) accepted the fight, but then he rejected it. Maybe he didn’t want to risk. Of course, he doesn’t want to lose.” Usman hasn’t fought since UFC 294 in October 2023. Even that was a fight that he would like to forget, as it was a short-notice bout with the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev.
Despite a slow start, Usman fought back to give ‘Borz’ a challenging fight, but despite the efforts, he succumbed to a decision loss. So, it is unknown what Usman’s next move will be. His top aim would undoubtedly be to put an end to his three-fight losing streak (including two title fight defeats to Leon Edwards). Maybe that’s why he didn’t want to face Shavkat after all. But what do you think? What is the reason behind Usman not accepting the fight, according to you? Let us know in the comments.
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