Shavkat Rakhmonov has carried the label of “future UFC champion” since storming into the welterweight elite, but a difficult run of injuries has stalled that title push. The undefeated contender spent most of this year rehabbing a torn meniscus and ACL, setbacks that have kept him sidelined since his December 2024 win over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310.
While Garry has suggested he caused the injury, Rakhmonov — now healthy and medically cleared — says the damage happened long before fight night.
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“I injured myself before the fight with Garry,” Rakhmonov said through an interpreter Tuesday on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Because I had prepared for such a long time, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to fight. That’s why I fought, took a risk. The injury didn’t get worse in the fight, actually. It was same scale of the injury as before the fight and after the fight. First, I wanted to avoid surgery, so I gave it rest and did rehab, but it wasn’t enough. I still had to do surgery, and that’s why I’ve been out for a while.
“Right now, I feel good and healthy. I believe I’ll be ready to fight again at the end of February, probably March — so we’ll see.”
The welterweight landscape has shifted dramatically in Rakhmonov’s absence. Islam Makhachev ascended as champion, while Michael Morales, Garry and Carlos Prates have all notched major wins.
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Despite Garry’s 2024 loss to Rakhmonov looming over his head, the Irishman surged to No. 2 in the UFC’s own rankings after defeating former champion Belal Muhammad this past weekend at UFC Qatar.
Still, Rakhmonov believes their head-to-head result speaks louder than any recent momentum.
“I sustained an injury before the fight. He didn’t injure me,” Rakhmonov reiterated. “I don’t need to lie about it. People who trained with me can confirm that. UFC PI, physios can confirm that.
“Of course I have to admit that [Garry’s] been active. He’s been doing well, two wins, but doesn’t matter if you have two, three wins — I’m already the guy who beat him. If we fight again, I believe I’m going to beat him again. Especially next time, I’m going to do it more convincingly because I won’t be fighting injured.”
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Rakhmonov, 31, is widely viewed as one of the most intriguing stylistic tests for Makhachev. The champion referenced Rakhmonov’s inactivity when recently discussing his next challenger, but “The Nomad” believes both Makhachev and the division know exactly how formidable he is.
“Maybe Islam is looking for a more suitable, more convenient opponent for him,” Rakhmonov said. “I believe I’m the most inconvenient, hardest fight for him in the division. I’m undefeated for a reason. I believe I can beat anyone in the division.
“Whatever the UFC decides, I believe he’ll accept. If he’s going to decide I’m next, I’m not going to miss this opportunity.”
As for their potential matchup, Rakhmonov said Makhachev’s win over Della Maddalena left him with more questions than answers about the division’s new king.
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“Islam had a great performance, but I want to find out for myself: Did ‘JDM’ have such a bad performance, or Islam had such a good performance?” he said.
“I’m a universal fighter. I can make it hard for him everywhere. So I just want to find out for myself what’s going to happen.”
A title shot after a long layoff isn’t ideal in most scenarios, but Rakhmonov says he’s ready — and flexible — depending on the UFC’s plans. Since a championship-caliber opponent was already on the horizon for him before his injuries, Rakhmonov wants to remain trending in that direction.
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If he had his choice, former pound-for-pound kingpin Kamaru Usman would be the pick.
“The most intriguing fight for me is Kamaru Usman, but I don’t believe he’s going to accept the fight against me. He’s been turning down fights against me in the past,” Rakhmonov said.
“It really doesn’t matter. There’s a lot of good options. Just give me the date and opponent in advance, and just make sure it’s a No. 1 contender fight.”
Timing is everything, and the top of the welterweight mountain has highlighted that throughout the year. Had Rakhmonov been able to compete this past May, he’d have challenged Muhammad in place of Della Maddalena. At this point, though, Kazakhstan’s finest will do whatever it takes to get his shot.
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“Of course I would prefer to fight for the title next, but I think this timeline is not going to work for Islam, February, March,” Rakhmonov said. “Probably he will defend his belt in April, May, that time. Of course, if I can fight Islam next, I’m ready. I can do it.
“I was supposed to fight for a title, and I had a respectful reason not to take this opportunity, and I was promised a title shot in the future. But again, if I have to fight before a title shot, I have no problem. I can prove again I’m the No. 1 contender. I’m the rightful contender. Whoever is on my timeline and whoever is going to put me in a title spot again, I’m going to fight.”
