Continuing his truly spectacular roughshod run to the welterweight championship, unbeaten Kazakh contender, Shavkat Rakhmonov becomes the first to submit former title challenger, Stephen Thompson with a second round rear-naked choke at UFC 296.
Rakhmonov, who entered tonight’s main card clash with former two-time title chaser, Thompson off the back of a March rear-naked choke win over Geoff Neal, holding the number five rank in the division.
And improving to 18-0 as a professional tonight, Uzbekistan-born contender, Rakhmonov also records his eighteenth straight career stoppage.
Battling with Simpsonville striker, Thompson in the clinch in the opening round, Rakhmonov took down the fan-favorite in the second frame — eventually forcing a rear-naked choke win with just 4 seconds remaining on the clock.
Off the back of his win, Rakhmonov called for a title charge against the victor of tonight’s UFC 296 headliner between Leon Edwards, and Colby Covington.