🚨BREAKING: A fight between Jack Della Maddalena and Shavkat Rakhmonov is now in works for UFC Dallas main event. The domino effect in the welterweight division continues after Islam Makhachev vs. Carlos Prates fell apart. Prates is now set to face Michael Morales for the interim title, while Ian Machado Garry is lined up to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 335. One canceled title fight has triggered a chain reaction, reshaping the entire division. The welterweight division is heating up 👀
A welterweight matchup between Jack Della Maddalena and Shavkat Rakhmonov is reportedly being put together for the main event of UFC Dallas. The pairing is not officially confirmed, and the report describes it only as in the works.
The potential booking is said to be the latest piece in a reshuffle of the 170-pound division. That shake-up follows the collapse of the planned Islam Makhachev vs. Carlos Prates fight. According to the report, Prates is now set to face Michael Morales for the interim title, while Ian Machado Garry is lined up to meet Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 335. None of those bouts is described as officially announced.
Rakhmonov's profile
Rakhmonov, a 32-year-old from Kazakhstan who trains with DAR Team, is 19-0. The six-foot-four Orthodox fighter has a 77-inch reach and lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that fit a finisher who has taken two of his three most recent recorded wins by submission.
His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310 on December 7, 2024, a five-round contest that went the distance. Before that, he submitted Stephen Thompson in the second round at UFC 296 in December 2023 and Geoff Neal in the third round at UFC 285 in March 2023.
Why it matters
- The report frames the Della Maddalena fight as one consequence of a single canceled title bout, with several other matchups reportedly rearranged around it.
- Rakhmonov's last recorded outing was a decision, so his finishing record sits alongside a proven ability to go five rounds.
- Garry, a recent Rakhmonov opponent, is reportedly headed to a separate fight against Amosov, showing how tightly linked the division's top names have become.
Rakhmonov's perfect record would be tested by a fighter from the same weight class's upper tier, but no date, venue details or contract status for the Dallas card have been confirmed. Until the UFC makes an announcement, the matchup remains a report rather than a booked fight.
