That late fall evening, Ian Machado Garry (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) was his opponent on the other side of the legendary Octagon at T-Mobile Arena. Although Rakhmonov walked away the winner, he did so after suffering a knee injury prior to the fight.
A scheduled fight for UFC 315 in May this year from Montreal was left out of his recovery efforts. This Saturday will mark 51 weeks since Shavkat Rakhmonov last fought in the UFC, but if an appearance on Tuesday’s episode The Ariel Helwani Show If it’s anything to go by, the hiatus could soon be a thing of the past.
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Shavkat Rakhmonov aims for returns in the first quarter of 2026
During the interview with Helwani, Rakhmonov, accompanied by his translator, revealed that he is hopeful of a return early in the new year.
“The injury did not get worse during a fight,” Shavkat Rakhmonov explained. “[It was] same extent of injury before the fight and after the fight, and [at] Firstly, I wanted to avoid the surgery and rest the injury during rehabilitation, but that wasn’t enough and I still had to operate afterwards.
“That’s why I’ve been out for a while,” he continued. “Soon it will be a year. Right now I feel good and healthy. I believe I will be ready to fight again at the end of February, probably March, so we will see.”
Shavkat Rakhmonov believes he would be a champion at the age of 170 if not for injury and recovery
A candid Shavkat Rakhmonov also told Ariel Helwani on the show that the UFC welterweight championship picture would have taken a different shape if it weren’t for his knee injury.
“Of course I think I would be a champion,” he said, “but you know what, it’s true [wasn’t] meant to be. Life throws different things at us, so we never know. If I’m meant to be a champion, then I’m going to be a champion. If not, then not.”
Rakhmonov notes that he has been cleared by his medical team to return to active competition.
Rakhmonov notes that he has been cleared by his medical team to return to active competition.“I’m just trying to get back into shape because I’ve been out for so long. It’s not an easy process, you know, to get back into shape. That’s why I’m taking it easy, taking it slow. I think I’ll be in fighting shape by the end of February, beginning of March. We’ll see how the training goes now.”
Don’t expect Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Islam Makhachev to appear next
Even though Shavkat Rakhmonov’s dream opponent for his next outing is Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC), he also knows that Makhachev has a title to defend when he takes the next step in the cage. Makhachev recently won the UFC Welterweight Championship on November 15 at Madison Square Garden.
“Of course I would rather fight for the title afterwards, but I don’t think this timeline will work for Islam,” he said. “He will probably defend his title in April and May that time. Of course, if I can fight Islam after that, I am ready, then I can do it. Also, I was supposed to fight for the title and I had a respectful reason not to take this opportunity, and I was also promised a title shot in the future.”
“If I have to fight sooner [a] I have another title contender, I have no problem,” Shavkat Rakhmonov reiterated. “I can prove again that I am the number 1 contender. I’m the rightful contender. Whoever is on my timeline and whoever is going to put me back in that title spot, I am going to fight.”
Shavkat Rakhmonov right on the cusp of a title shot
Shavkat Rakhmonov has not lost in his professional career so far. Although his injury and subsequent recovery forced him to miss out on a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship, he is still very much in the mix.
As previously mentioned, he is ranked third in the welterweight rankings. If his return match in the first quarter of 2026 results in his 20th straight professional victory, it could be just 25 minutes before he becomes the next 170-pound champion.
This man has proven himself worthy of being among the elites in the welterweight division. Only time will tell, as always, whether he will be the head of the class soon.
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