Dec 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Shavkat Rakhmonov (red gloves) reacts after defeating Stephen Thompson (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

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Shavkat Rakhmonov Willing To Take On Anyone Standing Between Him And The UFC Welterweight Title Shot

Injuries have a cruel way of derailing momentum at the worst possible times in fighting. Fighters train for months, build their record, earn their title shot, and then their body betrays them. This is the case with Shavkat Rakhmonov.

He has been stuck watching from the sidelines since his unanimous decision victory over Ian Garry at UFC 310 last December. That win kept his undefeated record intact. But he has been out of action since then. Now Rakhmonov gave his take on who he wants to fight next, and he has no problem proving he’s the rightful number one contender.

Shavkat Rakhmonov Makes His Case For The Title

Many fans and analysts still view Rakhmonov as the rightful top contender at welterweight, and for good reason. He was originally scheduled to challenge then-champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 310 before Muhammad withdrew with a toe injury. Instead of waiting, Rakhmonov fought Garry and handed the Irish star his first professional loss.

The welterweight division hasn’t waited around for Rakhmonov to heal. Islam Makhachev now holds the title after moving up from lightweight and defeating Jack Della Maddalena. Kamaru Usman keeps talking about comebacks. Michael Morales is on an absolute tear, destroying everyone in his path. Carlos Prates is another great prospect. And Garry, now #2, insists he deserves the next title shot regardless of losing to Rakhmonov in their first meeting. When asked who he wants next by Ariel Helwani, this is what he stated:

“Yes, I would prefer to fight for the title next, but I saw this timeline will not work for Islam in February or March, and he will look to fight in April or May. If I can fight Islam next, I’m ready. But if I have to fight again before the title shot, I have no problem proving I’m the rightful No. 1 contender. Whoever is on my timeline and whoever will put me in the title spot again, I will fight.”

🚨🇰🇿 Shavkat Rakhmonov is planning a UFC return for February / March after being out since December 2024 at UFC 310.

Rakhmonov is willing to compete in another number one contender fight if Islam Makhachev is not ready to defend his title in that timeframe.

(via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/3AeSOQutHr
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 25, 2025

Rakhmonov didn’t name specific opponents, just said he’s willing to fight “anyone” who fits his timeline and will put him back in line for the championship. That’s the attitude champions are made of: no excuses, no cherry-picking, just willingness to face whoever stands between you and your goal. The 31 year old Kazakh fighter remains one of the most dangerous welterweights in the world, boasting seven UFC wins with six finishes.

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

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!