Rumors Suggest Rakhmonov vs. Della Maddalena Could Headline UFC Dallas in 2027

A report circulating in the MMA community suggests Shavkat Rakhmonov could return against former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in a five-round main event at UFC Dallas in 2027. Nothing has been officially confirmed by the UFC, and the matchup remains a rumour.

Rakhmonov, a 32-year-old from Kazakhstan, is 19-0 and has never lost as a professional. His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision win over Ian Machado Garry in a five-round main event at UFC 310 on December 7, 2024. Before that, he finished Stephen Thompson by submission in the second round at UFC 296 and Geoff Neal by submission in the third round at UFC 285.

The numbers explain why opponents struggle with him. Rakhmonov lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy, and he averages 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, a frame that makes him one of the longer welterweights on the roster.

The report describes Della Maddalena as a former welterweight champion. No verified statistics on him are available here, so the comparison rests on what the rumour itself says: an unbeaten finisher against a man who has held the division's title.

Why it matters

• If the report proves accurate, the gap between Rakhmonov's last recorded fight and a 2027 date would be more than two years, a long layoff for a fighter of his standing.
• The five-round main event format would match the distance Rakhmonov last went at UFC 310, when he took the full 25 minutes against Machado Garry.
• A fight against a former champion would put an undefeated record against title-level experience, with Rakhmonov's grappling and submission threat as the central question of the matchup.

The UFC has not announced a bout, a date or a venue plan for this fight, and rumoured main events frequently change before an official announcement.