🚨RUMOUR: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Jack Della Maddalena is reportedly in the works! The blockbuster welterweight matchup could headline UFC Dallas on January 16, 2027, according to recent reports. Nothing is official yet, but Shavkat’s long-awaited return against a former champion would be MASSIVE 🔥
A welterweight matchup between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Jack Della Maddalena is reportedly being discussed for UFC Dallas on January 16, 2027. The pairing has not been officially announced or confirmed, and the details remain unofficial.
The report describes the fight as a potential headliner and as Rakhmonov's long-awaited return, with Della Maddalena characterized as a former champion.
Rakhmonov, a 32-year-old from Kazakhstan who trains with DAR Team, is undefeated at 19-0. His most recent recorded fight came on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310, where he beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision over five rounds. If the January date holds, that would leave roughly 25 months between his most recent recorded bout and a Dallas appearance. Before that, he finished Stephen Thompson by submission in the second round at UFC 296 and Geoff Neal by submission in the third at UFC 285.
The numbers show a fighter who blends volume with accuracy. Rakhmonov lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy, averages 1.4 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts 1.2 submissions in the same span. At six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, he is among the longer frames at welterweight and fights from an orthodox stance.
Della Maddalena is named in the report as a former champion, though no further data on him is attached to this story. He would be the opponent in the reported matchup, which is the only role the report assigns him.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov's unbeaten record would face its first test in more than two years against a name described as a former titleholder.
- A January 2027 Dallas card headlined by two welterweights would put the division's elite back in focus.
- The matchup would pit Rakhmonov's submission-heavy finishing profile, with two of his three most recent recorded wins coming by submission, against a fighter with championship experience.
Neither the UFC nor either camp has confirmed the fight, and bouts discussed at this stage can change or fall through before a contract is signed.
