‘Chanko Is Slick’: UFC Stars React to Magomed Zaykunov’s UFC Abu Dhabi Victory

Magomed Zaynukov arrived in the UFC carrying plenty of hype. Between his undefeated record, his connection to Khabib Nurmagomedov's camp, and the viral "Chanko" nickname that turned him into an internet sensation long before his debut, expectations were sky-high. 

On Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, the Dagestani proved they weren't misplaced. Against fellow unbeaten lightweight Damian Rzepecki, Zaykunov proved his mettle with polished striking and nasty clinch work, thus cruising to a unanimous decision. 

UFC Stars Heap Praise on “Chanko” After Dominant Debut

From the opening bell, Zaynukov looked like he was destined for the UFC Octagon. To his opponent’s credit, although  Rzepecki repeatedly tried to drag the fight into wrestling exchanges, the Russian remained calm under pressure. 

The 31-year-old defended well against the cage, neutralized every clinch entry with knees and elbows, and gradually broke his opponent down with a relentless striking attack.

The turning point of the bout came in the second round. Every time Rzepecki looked to get on the inside, Zaykunov welcomed him with vicious, slicing elbows that quickly opened a deep cut. By the final horn, the Polish prospect was bloodied badly, while Zaykunov walked away with a clean 30-27 sweep on all three scorecards.

Reflecting on his striking masterclass, retired UFC welterweight Alan Jouban was particularly impressed by the variety and precision of the Dagestani's elbow attacks. He wrote, "One of the better variety of elbow performances I've seen in the octagon."

Meanwhile, UFC featherweight contender Lerone Murphy kept his reaction simple, posting: "Chanko is slickkkk." Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad also echoed that sentiment, praising the technical side of Zaykunov's game - "Chankos striking is so crisp."

Lightweight Terrance McKinney focused on what made the performance stand out the most, noting, "Man excellence clinch work best I've seen in UFC sheesh them short elbows are nasty."

While fans had heard plenty about Zaykunov's Muay Thai background before Saturday, seeing it translate so effectively inside the Octagon only reinforced why many view him as one of the lightweight division's most intriguing new prospects.

Magomed Zaykunov Doubles Down on Ilia Topuria Callout

As impressive as his performance was, Zaykunov made sure people were talking about his words just as much as his fighting.

During his post-fight interview, the undefeated Russian immediately shifted his attention toward former two-division champion Ilia Topuria after revealing that Rzepecki's corner had referenced the Georgian-Spanish star.

"Hey Ilia Topuria! I just wanted to make sure to come out here and do my work," Zaykunov said. "He was saying he was from the team of Ilia Topuria. Well guess what? I come from the school of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. We do not care who we fight. We'll take anyone!"

The message was blunt and direct. Speaking later at the UFC Abu Dhabi post-fight press conference, he was asked what would happen if he and Topuria were locked in a room together. His response reflected the confidence that has become synonymous with fighters from Dagestan.

"They don't know the type of life we have in Makhachkala. They haven't seen life the way we've lived it," he said. "I don't think they have any chance of coming out of that room."

For the unversed, the verbal digs at Topuria aren't exactly new. Before his UFC debut, Zaykunov had already made headlines during a word-association interview, labeling Topuria a "buffoon" while handing out equally blunt descriptions for several of the lightweight division's biggest names.