\n<\/p>\n
The Shavkat Rakhmonov saga has another wrinkle.<\/p>\n
The often-injured longtime welterweight contender gave hope to fans that he could soon be ready to fight for the first time since 2024 after he shared an image to his Instagram Stories suggesting he\u2019ll be back in action next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cSoon 2027,\u201d Rakhmonov wrote, along with a clenched fist emoji.<\/p>\n
Rakhmonov appears to be responding to rumors that circulated on social media over the weekend concerning his health, with unconfirmed reports claiming his ongoing battle with knee injuries hit another bump and that he would not be fighting again anytime soon. While Rakhmonov\u2019s statement doesn\u2019t guarantee anything, he at least appears to be gearing up for a return.<\/p>\n
The undefeated Rakhmonov (19-0) most recently fought at UFC 310 in December 2024, where he defeated Ian Machado Garry, who stepped in as a replacement for injured welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Rakhmonov\u2019s win all but guaranteed him the next crack at Muhammad, but injuries have kept Rakhmonov out of competition and Muhammad later dropped the title to Jack Della Maddalena who subsequently lost it to Islam Makhachev.<\/p>\n
In October, Rakhmonov teased a potential matchup with another undefeated fighter, which led to speculation he would face Michael Morales, also 19-0 as a pro. However, Morales has since been announced for UFC 336 on Jan. 30 in Toronto, where he is set to fight Carlos Prates for an interim welterweight title with the winner expected to challenge Makhachev next.<\/p>\n