🚨 SHAVKAT RAKHMONOV — THE FINAL BOSS. 🇰🇿 If Islam Makhachev remains on top of the welterweight division and gets through both Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, there could be one final undefeated fighter waiting for him… 🇰🇿 SHAVKAT RAKHMONOV vs. ISLAM MAKHACHEV 🇷🇺 Shavkat stands at a perfect 19-0 with 18 finishes, with major victories over Ian Machado Garry, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Geoff Neal and Neil Magny. “Nomad” has looked like a nightmare matchup for almost everyone he’s faced. But Islam Makhachev is a completely different creature.☠️ 🚨 THE LATEST ON SHAVKAT Following knee surgery, recent training footage has shown Rakhmonov back on the mats and working toward his comeback. His team has indicated that his recovery is progressing well, with a potential return targeted for 2027. 👀 And that’s where things could get VERY interesting… Imagine this timeline: 🥊 Islam vs. Prates — December 2026/ January 2027 ☪️ Ramadan & recovery/training- January- July 2027 🔥 Islam vs. Morales — International Fight Week 2027 🐺 Islam vs. Shavkat — MSG, November 2027 That would give Shavkat plenty of time to fully recover, make his return and fight his way back into title contention for what could become one of the biggest fights in UFC history. And imagine if MSG became Makhachev’s final chapter — defeating an undefeated Shavkat, laying down his gloves and walking away as the greatest mixed martial artist God has ever produced. 🥶🐐 . . . . . . . #ufcmsg #ufc #mma #islammakhachev #shavkatrakhmonov
Shavkat Rakhmonov's team has indicated the undefeated welterweight contender is progressing well from knee surgery, with a potential return to competition targeted for 2027 — and speculation is already swirling about a possible future collision with welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. The scenario, which is not officially confirmed and remains firmly in the realm of conjecture, is being floated by those inside the sport as one of the most compelling matchups the division could produce.
Rakhmonov, 31, enters any such conversation as one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet at 185 pounds. The Kazakh standout carries a spotless 19-0 record with 18 of those victories coming by finish — a finishing rate that is almost without precedent at this level. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, "Nomad" has dismantled Ian Machado Garry, Stephen Thompson, Geoff Neal, and Neil Magny along the way. He lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at a 60 percent accuracy clip and supplements his striking with 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, presenting a genuinely multi-dimensional threat.
On the other side of this hypothetical sits Makhachev, 34, who holds the welterweight title and carries a 29-1 record. The Russian southpaw is ranked among the pound-for-pound elite and averages 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes — a grappling volume that dwarfs most of the division. His accuracy sits at 58 percent, and he attempts 0.9 submissions per 15 minutes, making him one of the most complete wrestlers in the sport.
The reported timeline circulating publicly suggests Makhachev would need to get through fights against Carlos Prates and Michael Morales before any such meeting could materialise, potentially placing a Rakhmonov bout in late 2027 at the earliest.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov is the only undefeated fighter in the welterweight top ten, adding a layer of historical stakes to any title fight
- A fully healthy return in 2027 would give him time to rebuild momentum before challenging for gold
- The stylistic contrast — Rakhmonov's finishing instincts against Makhachev's elite grappling volume — makes this a genuinely unpredictable matchup on paper
- Nothing here is confirmed; Rakhmonov's return timeline and any title shot remain speculative at this stage
