Islam Makhachev‘s teammate, Magomed Zaynukov, who goes by the nickname ‘Chanko’ and is popularly known as ‘John Pork,’ is all set to make his UFC debut at the Fight Night in Abu Dhabi on July 25. However, before the lightweight prospect steps into the Octagon, ‘Chanko’s opponent for the event, Damian Rzepecki, who happens to be Ilia Topuria‘s teammate, has questioned Team Makhachev’s approach to the fight promotion. According to the undefeated Polish fighter, Zaynukov’s association with the reigning welterweight champion and his nickname have overshadowed Zaynukov’s own identity, something Rzepecki says he never wants for himself.

“It’s a big fight for the debut,” Rzepecki told MMA Fighting. “He’s famous for his nickname because he’s part of Team Makhachev. I’m friends with Ilia Topuria. I was helping him in his last camp. But I wanna build my name on me, on my fights.”

For the Polish fighter, it’s understandable why he feels Zaynukov could remain under Makhachev’s and his famous nickname’s shadow. Well, it wouldn’t be a stretch to admit that ‘Chanko’s misunderstood nickname, ‘John Pork,’ alongside his social media clips featuring Islam Makhachev at their gym in Dagestan, have propelled him into stardom even before becoming part of the UFC. But Zaynukov has never treated Makhachev or his other recognizable teammates as a shortcut to fame.

In an interview with MMA Fighting last year, Zaynukov stated that having the best teammates in the sport, including Islam Makhachev and Usman Nurmagomedov, is only helping him become a better fighter, not an overnight star. Yet, there’s no denying that viral moments along with his John Pork moniker have turned ‘Chanko’ into a well-known personality in the MMA community.

That said, Damian Rzepecki, who was part of Ilia Topuria’s camp against Justin Gaethje, understands that Zaynukov will present a tough challenge at the UFC Abu Dhabi because of his Muay Thai prowess. So, the Polish fighter plans to counter it with his kickboxing skills.

“I’m not scared of his Muay Thai,” Rzepecki added. “He’s Dagestani, a Muay Thai fighter. I’ve been doing kickboxing for 10 years in Poland. So, maybe it will be Dagestani Muay Thai vs Polish Kickboxing. Polish legendary power. I’m sure it’s gonna be a great fight. After the fight, my hands go up.”

While Ilia Topuria’s teammate vows to carve out a different path from Makhachev’s training partner, ‘Chanko’ himself does not crave the fame he has inadvertently garnered, and neither does the person running their gym.

Islam Makhachev reveals Khabib advised Chanko following his UFC popularity 

Though ‘Chanko’ admitted he doesn’t like the ‘John Pork’ nickname that fans have given him, his rising popularity certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Zaynukov received a huge ovation from the crowd at UFC 322 last year, and Makhachev also spent quite some time talking about him during the press conferences.

Addressing that, the reigning welterweight champion told Red Corner MMA in January that ‘Chanko,’ for a short while, started getting a little carried away by his ever-increasing popularity, which prompted Khabib Nurmagomedov to step in with a reality check.

“Khabib slowed him down,” Islam Makhachev described the moment. “Khabib said, ‘Don’t chase the hype; let the hype chase you.’”

Well, that was a short but important piece of advice. At the moment, Islam Makhachev’s teammate is already a star without even making his UFC debut. If he successfully wins his first fight at UFC Abu Dhabi against another undefeated fighter making his own UFC debut, ‘Chanko’s fanbase will certainly continue to grow. So, much like a big brother, Khabib advised him to build his own identity rather than chase stardom.

With both fighters’ UFC debuts on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how Zaynukov and Rzepecki’s rivalry develops ahead of their bout on July 25.