Experts have assessed the prospects of the Kazakh welterweight fighter UFC Shavkat "Nomad" Rakhmonov (19-0) for the championship following his injury and lost opportunity to fight for the title, as reported by Vesti.kz .
Rakhmonov's Path to the Title Fight
"Nomad" has been waiting a long time for a championship fight in the league of Dana White . He was granted this opportunity back in December of last year. At that time, he was set to face the title holder - the American of Palestinian descent Belal Muhammad (24-3). However, his opponent withdrew due to health issues.
Muhammad's return was delayed, and the bout was rescheduled for UFC 315, which was supposed to take place in May. But now Rakhmonov himself has sustained an injury. The promotion announced a new contender fight between Englishman Leon Edwards (22-4) and American Sean Brady (17-1).
Who is the Next Contender?
Nevertheless, it is Shavkat who will next fight for the title. This is a belief shared by both the fighter and the experts.
"Yes, Rakhmonov is temporarily out of action. But let's clarify one thing: this is merely a delay, not a deviation from the course. An undefeated fighter with a cold confidence that makes one uneasy. Shavkat is the future of this division, and everyone knows it.
Whoever takes the title at UFC 315 won't be able to celebrate for long. And the winner won't be a true champion until they face Rakhmonov," the authors of TOI Sports are convinced.
It is worth noting that earlier, the head coach of the Kazakh fighter’s team, Eduard Bazrov stated that Rakhmonov should be expected back in the cage by the end of summer 2025. However, it is likely that the new championship fight in the welterweight division will take place later.
Additionally, Rakhmonov reached out to the UFC after the announcement of the title fight and learned the name of the new title contender.
Islam Makhachev made a decision regarding the fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov