Shavkat Rakhmonov has proved himself to be a star in the UFC. And for some time, just for a little while, fans were convinced that UFC analyst and commentator Laura Sanko had eyes for the Kazakh fighter. This only happened after she heaped him with praise after his fight with Geoff Neal at UFC 285. With ‘Nomad’ securing his 18th straight MMA win via his 18th straight finish at UFC 296, he’s aiming for the 19th win at UFC 310 against Ian Garry. But before that, let us explore the dynamics of the relationship between Rakhmonov and Sanko.

On the UFC 279 weigh-in show, Laura Sanko went on record to note how the fighters’ performance gave her ‘chills’, and fans couldn’t help but think something was brewing. When Rakhmonov himself was asked for the praise, he acknowledged it with some positivity. Do they interact in ways that go beyond their professional obligations? Here’s a breakdown of all that transpired since.

What did Laura Sanko say about Shavkat Rakhmonov?

“Shavkat Rakhmonov – That man gives me chills,” Laura Sanko admitted during a show on ESPN when she expressed wanting to interview the Kazakh star. “I’ve never spoken to him. I feel like I would get nervous, but I want to.” Well, guess what? Sanko’s wish would come true.

The first UFC female commentator would get that chance to have a face-to-face with the undefeated star. But how? First of all, he’s a fighter and analysts always have the chance to interview them. On the other hand, Shavkat Rakhmonov would later claim that he loves it when someone “adores” him.

“Yes, of course. I saw that video. What can I say? As a man, you always like when a woman adores you,” said Shavkat Rakhmonov post-UFC 285. Soon rumors started flying about her comments for Rakhmonov. Is she interested in him? Well, Sanko later revealed that she quickly gained a lot of following from Kazakhstan, Rakhmonov’s home country, following her claims, but the rumors are just rumors.

Laura Sanko dismisses the rumors of having a crush on Rakhmonov

Shavkat Rakhmonov is certainly a one-of-a-kind fighter, with the most impressive record that any fighter can ever have – a 100 percent finish rate. That has already made him one of the best non-champion UFC stars currently on the roster. It appears that Laura Sanko was highlighting that she loved how Rakhmonov tends to his business inside the Octagon, which was the reason why he gave her “chills,” and not the other way around.

“Can we please address this? I don’t have a crush on the man. I like his fighting style,” she was forced to clear the air. “An entire country thinks I do, and I need to correct the record. Still a fan, I just don’t have a crush. The entire country of Kazakhstan is very excited about it because I got like 20,000 new followers after that day. No, I have a husband.”

Laura Sanko clearly mentioned that she was only infatuated with his fighting since he was 16-0 (now 18-0) with a perfect split of knockout and submission finishes. So all the rumors were quickly swatted away. In conclusion, there is no relation between the two that isn’t professional. The two have rarely been seen together on screen and even that is restricted to interviews.

Laura Sanko has immense respect for Shavkat Rakhmonov. Not only his fighting skills, but also his deep-rooted respect for heritage and the spirit of fighting. As Rakhmonov nears one of those very essential fights, the combination of mystery with intensity might do him great favors as he climbs through the UFC ranks.