Shavkat Rakhmonov claps back at Jack Della Maddalena and reminds him of his own injury problems ahead of UFC 322 – MMASucka

For Della Maddalena, a win would cement his status the future of the 170-pound division. Despite calling Makhachev his toughest test yet, the Australian has already started assessing future contenders. Surprisingly, undefeated phenom Shavkat Rakhmonov was not on his list, a move that many saw as a subtle comment from the champion. Now the Kazakh powerhouse has finally given its answer to the reigning welterweight king.

Shavkat Rakhmonov calls for Jack Della Maddalena’s 14-month dismissal

For those who don’t know, Rakhmonov was originally lined up to face Belal Muhammad long before Della Maddalena entered the title picture. However, a serious bone injury Muhammad suffered prior to UFC 310 in December 2024 derailed their bout, forcing him to withdraw.

That change in plans led Rakhmonov to face Ian Garry instead, a competitive bout that saw the Kazakh standout maintain his undefeated record. But fate had more twists in store. Not long after, Rakhmonov himself was sidelined by a serious knee injury that required surgery. He has been out of action for over a year now, with no clear update on his return.

Due to this lengthy layoff, Della Maddalena shifted his attention to more active contenders like Garry and Sean Brady. Speaking to MMA Fighting ahead of UFC 322 about Rakhmonov’s status as a No. 1 contender, the champion said: “It’s hard for me to say. I think the division has moved on.”

READ ALSO: Reinier de Ridder makes shocking revelation about his health weeks after the collapse of UFC Vancouver

He added: “If you stay inactive, you kind of fall behind. I think that’s where it is. Someone like Sean Brady has been so active, Ian Garry, these guys are very active. How can Shavkat stay in that top position when these guys are fighting guys? It’s a tough one, but I’ll just do what I’m told. Whoever is next is whoever the UFC says is next.”

Now the Kazakh candidate has fired back with a sharp response. On social media, he reminded the champion of one crucial detail: “The only reason you got that title shot was my injury.”

He also pointed to Della Maddalena’s own period of inactivity, adding: “Funny how you forgot that you had been inactive for almost fourteen months before that.”

The only reason you got that title shot was my injury.
Funny how you forgot you were inactive for almost 14 months before that 🤦🏻‍♂️ https://t.co/ucpccX3zeG

— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) November 14, 2025

And he’s not wrong. Della Maddalena has also had to deal with serious injuries herself. After breaking his arm in the opening round of his March 2024 war with Gilbert Burns at UFC 299, the Australian fought through the pain and scored a dramatic third-round knockout. But the X-rays that followed, which showed his arm bent at an unnatural angle, were just the beginning of a much greater ordeal.

What should have been an easy six to twelve week recovery turned into a nightmare. An infection after the first surgery forced doctors to perform four more procedures to remove blood and foul-smelling discharge.

At one point there was even concern that the bone could disintegrate, endangering his hand. The complications caused him to miss his scheduled homecoming at UFC 305 in Perth and sidelined him for several more months.

He eventually made his comeback at UFC 315 in Montreal, where he defeated Mohammed to capture the welterweight title. And he only got that chance because Rakhmonov turned down the fight while he was recovering from his knee injury.