Shavkat Rakhmonov alarmed his fans by posting a rehabilitation video showing him far from fighting shape. The Kazakh welterweight has not competed in the cage for over a year and a half. In other news, Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge Dricus Du Plessis, who invited him to spar at his gym and suggested he post the footage. Borralho told Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and sign a contract, to which Du Plessis responded by questioning why Borralho thinks his name is even part of negotiations. Meanwhile, a couple of insiders reported that a Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman fight is being developed. The post also notes that Quillan Salkilld and Beneil Dariush look like buddies from an 80s detective movie.
A social media post from Shavkat Rakhmonov has unsettled the welterweight division, with the undefeated Kazakh sharing a rehabilitation video that showed him well away from fighting condition. Rakhmonov, ranked third at 175 pounds, has now been absent from competition for more than eighteen months, and the footage did little to ease concern among his following.
Rakhmonov enters the picture as one of the most talked-about welterweights in the sport. The 31-year-old from Kazakhstan carries a perfect 19-0-0 record, standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach. His numbers inside the cage are striking — literally — with a 60 percent striking accuracy rate and 3.25 significant strikes landed per minute, complemented by 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per fifteen minutes.
Elsewhere, middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis found himself in an unusual situation after number-two-ranked Caio Borralho made the trip to South Africa following an invitation from Du Plessis to spar at his gym. The 32-year-old South African, who holds a 23-3-0 record and ranks seventh pound-for-pound, suggested Borralho post the sparring footage. Borralho reportedly fired back, telling Du Plessis to drop the games and sign a contract. Du Plessis responded by questioning why Borralho believes he is even part of current title negotiations — a notable dismissal given that a pair of insiders have separately reported a Du Plessis versus Kamaru Usman fight is being put together.
Du Plessis is one of the busier offensive fighters in the middleweight division, averaging 5.18 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov's extended absence and physical condition raise real questions about the welterweight title picture at 170 pounds
- The Du Plessis and Borralho public exchange signals a brewing rivalry, even as the champion appears focused elsewhere
- Insider reports of a Du Plessis versus Usman matchup could reshape the entire middleweight landscape if confirmed
- Lightweight veteran Beneil Dariush, 23-8-1 and ranked eighth at 155 pounds, also drew attention this week — apparently for reasons unrelated to fighting
