Shavkat Takhmonov gets last minute submission at UFC 285 (Video)

Shavkat Rakhmonov and Geoff Neal put together fourteen minutes of blazing action, which Takhmonov capped off with his seventeenth straight finish. 

Shavkat Rakhmonov entered UFC 285 with an astounding 16-0 record with 16 finishes. Meanwhile, his opponent Geoff Neal had won nine of his last 11, with nine knockouts in his professional career. On paper, the two quality strikers were destined for a great bout, and they delivered.

For 14 minutes Rakhmonov and Neal combined for 165 significant strikes, trading blows back and forth with precision and power. Rakhmonov would push Neal to the cage with accurate body strikes, and Neal would return with a powerful boxing combo.

Finally, after nearly 15 minutes of exciting action, Rakhmonov slipped behind Neal and locked in a tight choke for his seventeenth straight victory and finish.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1632238682550722562?s=20

Shavkat Rakhmonov statement victory earned him the right to call for a title shot after the fight

After the bout, Rakhmonov told Joe Rogan in the Octagon that he wanted a title fight next. The ninth ranked welterwieght in the UFC, Rakhmonov’s victory over Neal, the seventh ranked fighter in the division, should quickly elevate him up the rankings and into title contention.

The UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards, is scheduled for a rematch with Kamaru Usman in April. After that bout, Rakhmonov is an option for the next championship bout, but so is Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington. The welterweight division is stacked, and it may be one more fight before Rakhmonov can call for his shot.

UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane takes place on Saturday, March 4, 2023, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your live results and highlights throughout fight week.