UFC Welterweight Star Reflects on Fighting Ian Garry with Injured Knee

Kazakh star Shavkat Rakhmonov was once a top draw in the UFC welterweight division. However, owing to his multiple knee complications, Rakhmonov has failed to show up for a fight in the last couple of years. In a recent interview, the 31-year-old detailed how his decision to fight Ian Garry became a big mistake. 

What did Shavkat Rakhmonov say About Ian Garry Fight?

Rakhmonov was up against Belal Muhammad for a title fight. Unfortunately, the then-champ Muhammad withdrew his name from the fight, citing a foot injury. It was at this time that ‘Nomad’ decided to stay active and take on Ian Garry instead. And that made his knee injury worse. 

Speaking to ALF Global, Rakhmonov stated, “We are bound to make plenty of mistakes. If you really look at it, I also made a wide variety of mistakes throughout my sports career. I actually shouldn't have even fought Ian Machado Garry at all. With injuries like that, I shouldn't have fought at all. I just took a risk."

Although the 31-year-old fighter won the bout via decision, the win came at a huge cost. 21 months later, there is still no confirmation on when he will return. According to his coach, the UFC welterweight star will not return this year. 

Shavkat Rakhmonov’s Coach has Bad News for Fans

After such a long layoff, fans are hoping to catch the fighter back in action soon. However, that might not be the case, as his coach, Edward Bazrov, stated that 2026 won’t be the year Rakhmonov is coming back. 

Bazrov said, “We can't yet give a precise date for Shavkat's return because everyone recovers from injury differently. I think next year. In my opinion, he could be fully ready for battle in February 2027, but it's still impossible to give a precise timeframe for when Shavkat Rakhmonov will recover.”

Thus, with uncertainty lingering over his career, fans will wait and see what happens next.