Shavkat Rakhmonov's UFC Return Reportedly Delayed Until June 2027

Shavkat Rakhmonov's injury layoff has been prolonged. According to Russian MMA media reports, the former No. 2-ranked UFC welterweight contender has to continue his break from fighting until at least June 2027.

Shavkat is one of the most formidable forces the welterweight division has ever seen. The 32-year-old fighter from Kazakhstan holds an incredible record of 19-0 (7-0 in UFC), finishing all but one opponent. 

After finishing 18 fighters, Shavkat faced off against Ian Machado Garry in December 2024 at UFC 310. He was originally supposed to challenge then-champion Belal Muhammad for the title, but Belal had to withdraw, leading to these two top contenders fighting in a title eliminator.

It's to be noted that Rakhmonov's leg was already compromised before this bout, but he still went ahead. That risk cost him big time. Despite beating the Irishman, Shavkat never got to fight for the belt because he's been out of action since then.

The tough battle with Machao Garry led to Shavkat extensively damaging his knee.  

Shavkat Rakhmonov's Return Is Delayed By Further Knee Problems

It's been almost 2 years since Rakhmonov last fought. The Kazakhstani had to undergo multiple surgeries to repair his knee. Back in July, the fans breathed a sigh of relief when Shavkat's physician said that Shavkat is cleared to train and can return to action by early 2027. Last month, things got even more exciting when Shavkat's new training clip surfaced on the internet. 

But now, it has been reported that Shavkat won't be coming back that soon. This was reported by a popular X user, 'Dovy'. According to this post, Russian MMA outlets have reported that Shavkat has injured his knee again. 

To be precise, the report read: "As it turns out, rehabilitation after the second surgery is difficult and hasn't yet allowed him to begin a full training camp. Shavkat is currently training lightly once a day in the gym and boxing, not wrestling. The best-case scenario is that his return date is June next year." 

There's no official confirmation of this report from either UFC or Rakhmonov.

Has The Welterweight Division Moved on From Shavkat Rakhmonov?

Even if Shavkat does come back to the octagon by mid-2027, will it be the same Shavkat that absolutely ran through the 170 lbs division? How will this unforgiving injury affect his game? How will this long break take a toll on his remarkable skills? Only time can answer.

The welterweight division has undergone significant changes since Rakhmonov last competed. We have seen 2 new champions rise to the top of the division. The current one is the pound-for-pound king, Islam Makhachev, who's waiting to fight the absolute No.1 contender. That one will be decided on January 30th at UFC 336 when Carlos Prates and Michael Morales throw down for the interim crown. Islam will fight the winner sometime later in 2027.