For almost three decades, the UFC has hosted the grandest stages of them all for spectacular athletes from all over the world. While many have achieved profound fame under the banner, there are several who have yet to grace the Octagon. One such fighter is Sora Rakhmonova, the youngest sister of the undefeated 170 lbs UFC sensation, Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Shavkat has had a stellar rise in the Las Vegas-based promotion. At the time of this writing, he is currently riding a 5-fight win streak, with his most recent win coming over Geoff Neal. However, what many fans are unaware of, is that the Kazakh star has a sibling who also happens to be an MMA fighter. Sora is as vicious as her older brother after the cage door closes.
Sora Rakmonova is an up-and-coming bantamweight fighter who has terrorized the women’s MMA in the regional scene. As per sherdog.com, Sora has an amateur MMA record of 4-2. She made her professional debut in January 2021 against Burayma Akbalaeva and has almost been on a tear ever since.
Shavkat’s sister Sora Rakhmonova got hands 🔥
You can tell violence is a family thing 😤 pic.twitter.com/xpoEits7X1
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 26, 2023
Her 2nd pro bout resulted in a decisive loss, however, she has since raked in 3 straight wins. Her most recent win came against Valeria Karygina through a wild knockout at Naiza FC 51 on May 26. She won the contest via TKO. Much like her older brother, Sora Rakhmonova has garnered most of her finishes either via submissions or KO/TKO.
Speaking about her 2021 debut with ZTB | QAZAQSTAN, Shavkat said, “I’m very worried about Sora, even more than I am about myself. But I know she has a huge talent and will make her debut professionally. I wish her luck, and I believe in her.”
Sora Rakhmonova: Nationality and ethnicity
Sora Rakhmonov was born on June 21, 1998, into a Kazakh family. However, not many people know that she was born and raised in the town of Shurchi, Uzbekistan at first. Sora’s grandfather’s name was Rahman. While living in a neighboring state, she had to take a last name that had a local flavor to it.
Sora‘s parents belong to Kazakh tribes, with his father and mother coming from the Altynbay and Konyrat tribes respectively. By the time she was 12, Sora and her family had to relocate to Qaraghandy (or Karaganda), a city in Kazakhstan where their relatives resided. Her family struggled financially in the beginning. This led her older brother Shavkat to work as a truck and warehouse loader to help bring some income in.
A few years later, Sora started bouncing around the amateur circuit for a couple of years. Followed by this, she started competing exclusively for Naiza FC which also includes her professional debut. At present, she holds the citizenship of Kazakhstan. Early this year, she was even awarded the medal of “Protector of the country,” which proudly posted on her Instagram.
As per sciencedirect.com, most Kazakhs have a first and patronymic name, where their father’s name is followed by “ich” or “ovich”, based on the gender of their child. In terms of her last name being slightly different than her brother’s, there is a specific reason behind it. In the Kazakh language, the suffix “ov” or “ev” is typically added to the end of a man’s surname (Shavkat Rakhmonov). Whereas the suffix “ova” or “eva” is added at the end of a woman’s surname (Sora Rakhmonova).
What religion does Sora follow?
Unlike what fans may think, Sora doesn’t live under her brother’s shadow. Through her hard work and spectacular finishes, she has amassed 31K followers on Instagram. However, she does choose to keep her private life away from the eyes of the media.
Going by her Instagram, one can only find pictures of her training or a throwback to her amateur days. On occasional days, it appears that Sora enjoys going on solo hikes, while on other days she seems to enjoy long drives. Being in the public eye does arouse the curiosity of many people, including fans and critics alike.
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In terms of her religion, Sora is a devout Muslim, much like her elder brother. While she doesn’t post pictures of her praying on social media, she does occasionally mention “Allah” in her posts. In February of this year, Sora posted a picture of her holding a gold medal and said, “Thanks to Allah, I got a chance to the World Championship.”
It is evident that she has the utmost faith in the religion of Islam and that it drives her to achieve the medals and trophies she has amassed over the years. Even Shavkat hasn’t shied away from expressing his love for Islam. He famously posted a picture of himself with his mother during their visit to Mecca in April this year.
Based on her recent skills, it appears that Sora may be ready for prime time. She sure appears to be a bright talent in MMA. Sora could potentially make her way to the UFC one day, while even fighting on the same card as her brother soon.