UFC Welterweight Champ Shavkat Rakhmonov Has Really Been Going Through It

For professional fighters, there's nothing worse than an injury. Even scandals can't compete with the absolute mayhem that the wrong injury can create for a pro fighter.

For UFC welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, he's been dealing with exactly that.

The promising fighter disappeared from the UFC in 2025 after experiencing a major setback, and a new video has surfaced which has fans more than a little worried about whether or not he'll ever return to the ring.

Here's what we know about what happened to Rakhmonov.

Injuries of any kind can devastate professional athletes. But injuries to the legs can be almost insurmountable. Unfortunately for Rakhmonov, that's exactly what happened to him.

In late January 2026, ESPN reported that Rakhmonov was expected to miss most of the 2026 fight season.

This follows Rakhmonov missing nearly all of 2025 for the same injury that tapped him out in 2026. The culprit is an older injury that has been aggravated again, and still causes him issues.

That injury? A devastating knee injury that prompted the fighter to get surgery, but still seems to be causing an issue.

Rakhmonov is considered an extraordinarily promising young fighter, so his knee being out of commission is devastating as it continues to delay his return to the ring. ESPN reported in January 2026, "Despite 13 months of inactivity, Rakhmonov is currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC's welterweight division. He had been targeting a return to the Octagon this spring before his injury."

So, is he in a position to make his triumphant return in Spring 2026?

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem likely. And a video that surfaced in April 2026 had fans questioning whether he would ever actually return to fighting condition.

In the video, shared on X (formerly Twitter), Rakhmonov is attending rehabilitation for his knee, and he can be seen posing and stretching, working on building up that strength again.

However, he looks a little wobbly and has clearly dropped significant weight.

According to the post, he no longer qualifies for welterweight and hasn't had a win in the UFC since he clinched the match against Ian Machado Garry in December 2024.

The comments are grim, with some people musing that he looks nowhere near ready to return, despite missing one full year and the potential to miss another. One X user wrote, "Poor lad, he has lost a ton of muscle mass in his legs. If not for injuries, he would be the champ at 170 a long time back."

Another user wrote, "Hope the game don’t pass him when he get back."

For now, Rakhmonov appears to be focusing on gaining his strength back and regaining use of that knee properly. What his future holds still seems to be up in the air, but fans are crossing their fingers for a triumphant return and redemption arc.

Until then, it's his job to focus on getting healed and stronger.