Shavkat Rakhmonov could be ever closer to a potential return to the cage.
The undefeated welterweight contender has been out of action since December 2024 when he took Ian Machado Garry‘s undefeated record in a huge fight in the division.
During that fight, the Kazakh suffered a knee injury that for the past few years has caused him endless problems after several surgeries.
And having been out of action for so long, Rakhmonov was removed from the 170lbs rankings earlier this year despite at one point being the number one contender.
Rakhmonov finally returns to training after 2 years out
This past February, images went viral online of Rakhmonov at a UFC event in a knee brace and on crutches, which led to concern from fans.
After seeing the concern from fans, Rakhmonov released a statement confirming that he suffered another injury setback, which led to another surgery.
However, things now seem to be on the up for the undefeated 31-year-old as he is now back in contact training which is a huge step in his return to the cage.
In the video posted on Instagram by darteam.Kazakhstan, Rakhmonov was seen hitting pads with one of his coaches, as he moved slowly on his knee.
View this post on Instagram
Despite the seemingly good news, some fans are still relatively concerned by the fact that Shavkat has been out of action for 2 years.
“He lost his prime because of his injury,” one fan reacted.
“Please don’t come back boring a–,” another fan said.
“He’ll be one of the biggest what ifs in welterweight history,” a third fan commented.
Although he was likely next in line to fight for the welterweight title, when he finally returns to action, he will now likely have to fight at least once before he is given a title shot.
The welterweight division is currently regarded as one of the strongest in the promotion, with the likes of Machado Garry, Carlos Prates and Michael Morales all deserved of title shots.
“I do hope he makes a return. Dude was a killer before the injury. Super interesting addition to that stacked division,” another fan reacted.
Despite having returned to the mats, it is still unclear when the 31-year-old will be able to return and whether that will take place this year or in 2027.
2026-05-27 22:00:00
