Magny may not be getting the Chimaev fight he was calling for, but he’ll find himself facing one of welterweight’s best rising prospects nonetheless.
Nothing has been clearer over Neil Magny’s career than the fact that he is willing to take on absolutely anyone the UFC throws his way. Over nine years and 26 fights, Magny has taken on former champions, top contenders, and rising stars alike—all to the tune of 19 wins and 7 losses.
Most recently, following a victory over Max Griffin at UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Daukaus, the ‘Haitian Sensation’ continued his campaign for a fight against rising welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev.
“Dana White, Khamzat Chimaev, I’m ready to go,” Magny told the audience after his latest victory. “I’ve been chasing this fight for over a year.”
While Chimaev was already booked to fight (and later defeated) former title contender Gilbert Burns, the callout caught the attention of another top tier prospect at 170 lbs: Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Now I have a couple of fighters in my sights,one already refuses to fight me and the other claims that he is ready to fight anyone @UfcJingliang get your balls together and fight me @NeilMagny you said you were ready to fight anyone,lets do it if Lee still doesnt have the guts to
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) March 30, 2022
If Magny’s callout didn’t net him what he wanted, it seems that Rakhmonov’s campaign was more successful, with MMA Junkie now reporting that the two men are all set to face off at a UFC Fight Night event on June 25th.
Rakhmonov is fresh off a February victory over Carlston Harris at UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Strickland. That win took the former M-1 welterweight champion to a perfect 14-0 in his MMA career to date, with all three of his fights in the Octagon ending inside the distance.
No official location or headliner for the UFC’s June 25th card has been named. A middleweight bout between Chris Curtis and Rodolfo Vieira has also been announced for the date. Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for more news and notes as the event approaches.