The Ultimate Fighting Championship's welterweight division (up to 77 kg) has gained a new, and strong, contender in the race for the title. Since Islam Makhachev dominated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 and won the title, fans and experts have been wondering who will be able to dethrone the Russian. Among the main candidates are Carlos Prates , Ian Garry , Kamaru Usman and, now, Shavkat Rakhmonov , who has returned to training after recovering from a serious injury.
Since his fight against Ian Garry at UFC 310 in December 2024, Rakhmonov has not been in action. Midway through the second round, the Irishman landed a stomp that resulted in a knee injury for the Kazakh fighter, keeping him out of the octagon for an extended period.
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After months of inactivity, Rakhmonov resumed training. In a video released on social media, the fighter appeared doing a light boxing workout, signaling his gradual return to activity.
Shavkat Rakhmonov is back in training 🚨
He has been out of action since December 2024 due to a knee injury 🤕 pic.twitter.com/FlLmQaKmGS
— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) May 27, 2026
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