An in-depth analysis examines Shavkat Rakhmonov's performance against Ian Machado Garry, highlighting several key improvements and strengths. Rakhmonov showed significant progress at mid-range compared to his fight against Geoff Neal, consistently landing powerful single strikes including jabs, overhand rights, left hooks, and spinning backfists. He dominated the clinch in the first four rounds, repeatedly taking Garry's back and controlling positions Garry couldn't escape. Rakhmonov became the first UFC fighter to score takedowns on Garry in the center of the octagon, doing so twice and landing ground strikes from top position. The analysis notes Rakhmonov's overall control of distance, pace, and positioning throughout most of the fight, though he gave away significant points at long range where Garry excelled with leg kicks (scoring 19.5 points to Rakhmonov's 1.75 at distance). Despite the even scorecard by some metrics (approximately 40-40 in total points), the analyst awards the fight to Rakhmonov based on his cleaner head strikes and superior control, while noting the fifth-round mistake that briefly gave Garry position.
A detailed analytical breakdown of Shavkat Rakhmonov's welterweight victory over Ian Machado Garry has emerged, dissecting the Kazakh fighter's performance round by round and identifying the specific technical edges that separated the two contenders.
Rakhmonov, known as "Nomad," enters the conversation as one of the division's most complete fighters. The 31-year-old carries a perfect 19-0-0 professional record and holds the number-three divisional ranking at welterweight. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, he brings elite physical tools to the cage, and his 60 percent striking accuracy — among the highest in the sport — reflects a fighter who picks his shots rather than throws in volume. He averages 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him dangerous everywhere.
Garry, ranked number one in the division at just 28 years old, came in with genuine credentials of his own. The Irishman stood 17-0-0 before this contest and brings a six-foot-three frame and a high output of 4.78 significant strikes per minute. His accuracy sits at 54 percent, and his 74-inch reach — three inches shorter than Rakhmonov's — factored into the distance management story that defined the fight.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov became the first UFC fighter to take Garry down in the center of the octagon, doing so twice and generating ground strikes from dominant position
- His clinch control across the first four rounds — repeatedly taking Garry's back from positions Garry could not escape — represented a clear improvement over his prior outing against Geoff Neal at mid-range
- Garry's long-range output was the one area where the analysis found a genuine gap, with leg kicks generating 19.5 points at distance compared to Rakhmonov's 1.75
- Despite roughly even aggregate totals near 40-40 by some metrics, the analyst credited Rakhmonov's cleaner head strikes and positional dominance as the deciding factors, with a fifth-round lapse noted as the lone significant blemish on his performance
