Shavkat Rakhmonov has personally dismissed claims that he re-injured his knee. He says he is training consistently and that the reports circulating a day earlier were false.
Shavkat Rakhmonov has shut down reports that he re-injured his knee, saying he is training consistently and that the claims circulating a day earlier were untrue. The unbeaten welterweight addressed the rumours himself, according to the story dated November 8, 2026.
Rakhmonov, 32, is 19-0-0 and represents Kazakhstan. The orthodox fighter trains with DAR Team and stands six-foot-four, or 193 cm, with a 77-inch reach, 196 cm. His most recent recorded fight came at UFC 310 on December 7, 2024, where he beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision after five rounds.
That decision stands out in his record. The two fights before it, against Stephen Thompson at UFC 296 in December 2023 and Geoff Neal at UFC 285 in March 2023, both ended by submission, in the second and third rounds respectively. Going the full five rounds against Machado Garry showed a different side of a finisher who has built much of his reputation on ending fights early.
The numbers explain why he has been so hard to beat. Rakhmonov lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy, a high figure for a fighter who also attempts 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submissions per 15 minutes. That blend of precise striking and constant grappling threat has defined his run through the welterweight division.
Why it matters
- Knee trouble would be a concern for any fighter whose game leans on takedowns and scrambling, which is why the rumour drew attention.
- Rakhmonov's denial, and his description of steady training, points to him being on track rather than sidelined.
- His unbeaten 19-0 record means any injury story around him carries weight for the welterweight picture.
Rakhmonov offered no new timeline for a return in the reported comments, and no opponent or date has been attached to him in this story. For now, his own account is that the injury reports were false and that preparation is moving along without disruption.
