Dec 7, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Shavkat Rakhmonov (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Ian Machado Garry (blues gloves) after their fight at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Shavkat Rakhmonov Intensifies Rivalry With Ian Garry Amid Welterweight Title Push

The welterweight division loves creating drama between contenders who all think they deserve the next shot. Everyone has their reasons, their wins, their arguments about why they are the rightful number one. But only one fighter gets that golden ticket to face the champion, and Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry are both vying for it.

Rakhmonov has been one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC for years now. The Kazakh fighter entered the organization undefeated and stayed that way through multiple impressive victories. His finishing ability made him a serious threat to anyone in the division. Then he fought Garry at UFC 310 last December and won by unanimous decision, though that fight revealed some vulnerabilities. Now Rakhmonov refuses to let the Irishman jump ahead in line despite his recent victory over former champion Belal Muhammad.

Shavkat Rakhmonov States The Facts

Garry just beat Muhammad at UFC Qatar via unanimous decision and immediately called for a title shot against Islam Makhachev, the new welterweight champion. That’s standard procedure after beating a former champ. But Rakhmonov wasn’t having any of it. He fired back on social media with what he called “just facts” about Garry’s recent performances.

“No trash talk, just facts: Ian Garry lost to me while I was injured. He hasn’t finished anyone in his last six fights, and Prates nearly stopped him. Doesn’t sound like a #1 contender to me.”

No trash talk, just facts: Ian Garry lost to me while I was injured. He hasn’t finished anyone in his last six fights, and Prates nearly stopped him. Doesn’t sound like a #1 contender to me
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) November 26, 2025

Rakhmonov pointed out that Garry lost to him while he was injured during their December fight. He also mentioned Garry hasn’t finished anyone in his last six fights and that Carlos Prates nearly stopped him in their recent bout. Rakhmonov ended his post by questioning whether that resume sounds like a number one contender at all.

Those are legitimate points, honestly. Finishing fights matters in a sport where knockouts and submissions get you noticed and fast-tracked up rankings. Garry has been winning but doing it by decision, which doesn’t quite carry the same weight as someone who’s been demolishing opponents. Makhachev just dominated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to win the welterweight belt, so whoever challenges him next needs to bring something special.

Injury Troubles Complicate The Picture

The tricky part of Rakhmonov’s argument is his own injury history lately. He was originally booked to fight Muhammad for the title at UFC 315 earlier this year but had to withdraw because of an injury. That’s a huge setback. Missing that opportunity gave other contenders time to make their case.

Garry addressed this situation at the UFC Qatar post-fight press conference, claiming he damaged Rakhmonov’s knee badly during their fight, similar to what he did to Muhammad. Garry mentioned Shavkat Rakhmonov has undergone two knee surgeries, with the first one failing and the second still being evaluated. He predicted fans won’t see Rakhmonov compete for a very long time because of these ongoing knee issues.

If those injury concerns are legitimate, that creates a real problem for Rakhmonov’s title shot hopes. Champions and promoters don’t want to book fights with contenders who might pull out due to medical issues. The UFC needs reliable fighters who can actually make it to fight night without withdrawing. Whoever gets that shot will need to prove they’re ready for the Dagestani champion’s suffocating grappling style.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Ian Garry

Shavkat Rakhmonov

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!