Welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov alarmed his fanbase by posting a rehabilitation video showing him far from fighting shape. The Kazakh fighter has now been out of action for over a year and a half, raising questions about his return timeline. Meanwhile, a verbal confrontation occurred between middleweight Caio Borralho and champion Dricus Du Plessis in South Africa. Borralho traveled to challenge Du Plessis, who invited him to spar at his gym and suggested posting videos of the sessions. Multiple insiders also reported that a bout between Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is being developed.
Welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov has drawn concern from fans after posting a rehabilitation video that showed the unbeaten Kazakh far from fighting condition, casting fresh doubt on when he might return to the octagon.
Rakhmonov, 31, entered 2026 having not competed for well over a year and a half. The Kazakhstan native carries a perfect 19-0-0 record and currently sits third in the welterweight rankings, making his extended absence a significant storyline in the division. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, he is a rare physical specimen at 170 pounds, and his numbers back up the hype — he connects at a 60 percent striking accuracy rate while averaging 3.25 significant strikes per minute, and he adds consistent wrestling and submission threats at 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Separate from the Rakhmonov situation, a face-to-face confrontation unfolded between middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and fourth-ranked contender Caio Borralho after Borralho traveled to South Africa to confront the titleholder. Du Plessis, a switch-hitting 32-year-old South African who holds a 23-3-0 record and sits seventh in the pound-for-pound rankings, reportedly invited Borralho to spar at his gym and suggested the sessions be filmed and shared publicly. Du Plessis is among the most active strikers in the division, averaging 5.18 significant strikes per minute.
Borralho, a 33-year-old Brazilian southpaw training out of The Fighting Nerds, is 18-2-0 and has built his contender status on a balanced game — 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, combined with steady wrestling at 1.28 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov's rehabilitation timeline leaves the welterweight top five with a key contender in uncertain status
- The Du Plessis–Borralho confrontation signals a brewing title feud at middleweight, with Borralho ranked just two spots below the champion
- Multiple insiders have separately reported that a bout between Du Plessis and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is also in development, potentially complicating the middleweight title picture
