Analysis: Rakhmonov dominated Garry at mid and close range despite low kick deficit

A detailed rewatch of Shavkat Rakhmonov's fight against Ian Garry reveals Rakhmonov's impressive progress at mid-range compared to his bout with Geoff Neal. Rakhmonov landed the best and most diverse strikes to the head, including jabs, overhand rights, left hooks, and spinning backfists. He dominated the clinch for four rounds, securing back takes and landing two successful takedowns in the cage center—a first against Garry in the UFC. The analysis notes Rakhmonov controlled the fight's distance, rhythm, and pace except in round five. However, concerns remain about his inactivity at long range, where Garry heavily outstruck him with leg kicks (19.5 points to 1.75). Despite this, Rakhmonov won both mid-range (15.75 to 10.25) and close-range exchanges (18.5 to 11.7), the two most important distances in MMA for damage and control.