Sports
Rakhmonov Targets 2027 Comeback After Year-Long Injury Layoff, Addresses Missed Title Shot
Undefeated welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov has provided an update on his recovery from injury, indicating fans may not see him back in the Octagon until 2027. Rakhmonov, who has been out of action for more than a year, remains confident about his prospects despite the extended absence. The 31-year-old fighter last competed at UFC 310 in 2024, defeating Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision to maintain his unbeaten record of 19-0. His resume includes victories over Machado Garry, Stephen Thompson, Geoff Neal, and Neil Magny. Rakhmonov has struggled with a series of knee injuries, including a recurrence of damage to the same knee while still recovering from an earlier setback. That injury cost him a scheduled title opportunity against welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. "If I had fought, I could've become champion, but that's how it turned out. I was injured. What can I do? We are only human, we are bound to make plenty of mistakes," Rakhmonov said in comments translated by Alf Global. Regarding his return timeline, he added, "Time will tell. It's too early to say anything yet. I'll do my best to come back and win the title. Time will reveal everything." Rakhmonov also disclosed that he entered his fight against Machado Garry already dealing with a significant injury. He explained that after a year away from competition, he accepted the bout on just two weeks' notice despite ongoing health issues. "I already had an injury going into the Ian Machado Garry fight," he said. "I hadn't fought for a year and I wanted to fight. Even before that, I had health problems, too. And it turned out there were only two weeks left before the Machado Garry fight." He described the physical toll, stating, "That old injury was still bothering me a lot. My leg was swollen. And when he was striking me, it was probably because I completely lacked a ligament. I couldn't feel that strike in general." In discussing his decision to fight while injured, Rakhmonov drew a comparison to Dagestani fighters Khabib Nurmagomedov and current welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, suggesting they would have withdrawn under similar circumstances. "I actually shouldn't even have fought Ian Machado Garry at all. With injuries like that, I shouldn't have fought at all," he said. "That's the Kazakh way. Kazakhs are very daring. They're not afraid. If it had been some other Dagestani fighter like Khabib or Islam Makhachev, they definitely would've refused." Following his win over Machado Garry, Rakhmonov was slated to challenge Muhammad for the welterweight title but was forced to withdraw due to his injuries. Jack Della Maddalena replaced him in the title fight and went on to defeat Muhammad, claiming the welterweight championship.