A detailed analysis of Shavkat Rakhmonov's fight with Ian Garry highlights several key areas. Rakhmonov showed significant improvement at mid-range compared to his bout with Neil Magny, landing strong single strikes including jabs, overhand rights, and backfists. He dominated in the clinch for the first four rounds and became the only UFC fighter to successfully take Garry down in the center of the octagon, doing so twice. However, Rakhmonov gave away significant points on the outside distance, throwing very few leg kicks—only 1.75 total across the fight compared to Garry's 19.5. The analyst notes that while Rakhmonov won the mid-range (15.75 to 10.25) and close range/wrestling (18.5 to 11.7), Garry dominated the long range. Despite the overall point total being approximately even at 40-40, the analyst awards the fight to Rakhmonov based on his superior control and more damaging strikes to the head.
A recent breakdown of Shavkat Rakhmonov's welterweight clash with Ian Garry has drawn attention to the unbeaten Kazakh's evolving skill set, with one analyst concluding that Rakhmonov deserved the nod despite a fight that was nearly even on the scorecards.
Rakhmonov, nicknamed "Nomad," enters the conversation as one of the most complete fighters in the 170-pound division. The 31-year-old from Kazakhstan carries a perfect 19-0-0 record and is ranked third at welterweight. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, he lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy, while also generating 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes — numbers that reflect genuine danger across all phases of a fight.
The analysis highlights a noticeable step forward at mid-range compared to Rakhmonov's previous bout against Neil Magny. He landed clean single strikes — jabs, overhand rights, and backfists — and made the clinch his territory for the opening four rounds. He also became the first UFC fighter to take Garry down in the center of the octagon, doing so twice across the fight.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov won the mid-range exchange 15.75 to 10.25 and dominated the close-range and wrestling phase 18.5 to 11.7
- Garry controlled the outside distance and outlanded Rakhmonov in leg kicks by a wide margin — 19.5 to just 1.75
- The overall point tally finished roughly 40-40, yet the analyst awarded the fight to Rakhmonov based on control and head damage
- The result underscores a clear improvement area for the third-ranked welterweight: using his six-foot-four frame and long reach to attack earlier at longer range
