It’s been more than a year since undefeated welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov stepped into the Octagon, but he remains a hot topic in one of the UFC’s most stacked divisions.
Rakhmonov has not fought since a unanimous decision win over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310. He was originally scheduled to face then-champion Belal Muhammad in the UFC 310 main event, but Muhammad withdrew due to a health issue.
Rakhmonov was expected to be rebooked against Muhammad immediately after UFC 310 before suffering a serious leg injury in training. Despite promising an active 2025, Rakhmonov will end the calendar year without competing.
But as Rakhmonov neared a return to the Octagon, likely in the first few months of 2026, a top knockout artist drafted him with hostile intent.
Joaquin Buckley promises to ‘f-up’ Shavkat Rakhmonov after ‘black boy’ comment
In a recent one Instagram post, Joaquin Buckley sent a fiery shoutout to Rakhmonov as both contenders made plans for their return to the Octagon in 2026.
“I don’t care about that Usman fight, that guy had to stop me, no one wants to fight me toe to toe,” Buckley said.
“Shavkat! I heard you whistling, heard you talking, talking about ‘black boy’. I’m going to show you where the f— we come from. I’m going to cheer you up! Shavkat, if you don’t draw the mother, someone else is going to die.”
“I’m burying everyone in the UFC!”
Buckley hasn’t fought since a loss to former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta last summer. The “black boy” comment Buckley was referring to concerns a recent social media post from Rakhmonov.
Usman is likely next for UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev in 2026, leaving Rakhmonov and others on the outside looking to cement themselves as top contenders. A fight between Rakhmonov and Buckley could make a lot of sense in the new year.
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