Magomed Zaynukov is set to make his official UFC promotional debut at UFC Abu Dhabi in a main-card matchup against Damian Rzepecki.
Zaynukov, who entered the promotion through Dana White’s Contender Series, earned his contract with a decision win over Lucas Caldas. He has been waiting for his next fight for almost a year since that last bout.
“After my last fight almost a year has passed,” Zaynukov said. “I’ve been waiting for this fight for a very long time. Inshallah, it’s time to make our return in Abu Dhabi. We are ready to conquer Abu Dhabi.”
Zaynukov has gained viral attention due in part to a meme referring to him as “John Pork,” but his actual nickname has a different story. “It started back in 2009 when I was beginning my Muay Thai career,” he explained. “At the Dagestan Muay Thai Championships, my coach Ibrahim Khedirov started calling me ‘Chanko.’ I trained under him for nearly 12 years, and the name just stuck. From then on, everyone called me Chanko. Some people even thought it was my real name. Now when people hear ‘Chanko’ they know it’s me.”
Reflecting on his rising profile, Zaynukov added: “We all understand that everything we’ve been given is a test,” and emphasized humility: “Maybe it’s a test to keep us from becoming arrogant. Our elders always remind us that no matter how popular you become or how big a star you are, you must stay humble. We follow the example set by Khabib, our elders, and Islam Makhachev. We try to remain as humble as fighters and carry ourselves with dignity and respect wherever we go.”
