UFC Fans Jokingly Call Him 'John Pork' but Who is 'Chanco'?

“Chanco” however, has steadily gained internet popularity over the past year thanks to a community meme in which fans refer to him by the name “John Pork.” With “Chanco” making appearances alongside Makhachev, this niche internet reference has all come to a swell of raucous fan cheer the whole fight week.

Why do Fans Call Him John Pork?

The bizarre nickname has a simple, accidental origin. In a video last year posted by UFC legend Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson visiting Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov to train, Makhachev introduced Johnson to his fight camp team. 

Islam’s pronunciation of Zaynukov's real nickname, "Chanco," made it sound like the words "John Pork," which the internet immediately latched onto and turned into a meme.

The joke was amplified by its connection to an existing online meme. "John Pork is calling" is a pre-existing nonsensical meme that people find funny due to its sheer absurdity.

The shared name fueled the trend, and fans began flooding Zaynukov's social media comments with the name "John Pork" and memes featuring the porcine character

Here is footage of his comments courtesy of fan account ACD MMA:

Despite the meme's popularity, the fighter himself does not appreciate it. Zaynukov has publicly asked fans to stop calling him "John Pork," stating that he does not like it and prefers to be called by his correct nickname, "Chanco."

He even admitted his distaste for the joke after his fight on Dana White’s Contender Series:

He said in a message to the vocal online fans, "No John Pork, Chan-co!"

Makhachev told streamer Adin Ross that the Instagram page of “Chanco” was so inundated with comments that he considered turning off his Instagram comments entirely.

Here is a clip of Islam revealing this fact, first streamed by Adin Ross and reposted by Championship Rounds on X:

Stealing the Show at the UFC 322 Press Conference

Ironically, by asking fans to stop, he inadvertently fueled the meme further.

The power of the viral meme was on full display during the UFC 322 press conference. Despite not having a single UFC fight to his name yet, Zaynukov received some of the biggest cheers from the crowd.

Via Championship Rounds on X:

Chants of "John Pork!" erupted, nearly stealing the spotlight and demonstrating how his unexpected online fame has translated into real-world recognition, making him one of the week's most talked-about fighters.

Here is a clip of Islam Makhachev's response to the chants posted by Home of Fight on X (via UFC press conference):

Zaynukov's story highlights the unpredictable nature of modern sports fame, where a simple internet joke can propel an athlete into the spotlight overnight. As he prepares for his UFC debut, "Wild Chanco" will have to use his legitimate Muay Thai skills to make fans remember his real name, and not just the one they jokingly gave him.