Shavkat Rakhmonov, a well-known UFC fighter from Kazakhstan, considers himself the most serious opponent for UFC welterweight (77 kg) champion Islam Makhachev from Dagestan, Russia.
In an interview with ALF Global, he said that he is «Islam’s most serious opponent,» admitting that Makhachev is the most serious opponent for him, too. Rakhmonov also said that he is quite good defensively and believes he is a better stand-up fighter than Makhachev. However, he emphasized that this is just his opinion and that only a fight would determine who is better.
The Kazakh fighter also admitted that he wasn’t happy to hear that Makhachev wants to fight former division champion Kamaru Usman. The Russian champion named «The Nigerian Nightmare» as one of his possible opponents after his victory over Jack Della Maddalena.
The interview with Rakhmonov was recorded before Makhachev’s first defense of his welterweight title. On Aug. 16, he defeated Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330. This victory marked Makhachev’s 17th consecutive UFC win, setting a new promotional record for the longest winning streak. The Russian champion’s professional record stands at 29 wins and one loss.
Interestingly, Rakhmonov’s last opponent was also Garry. In December 2024, he defeated the Irishman by unanimous decision at UFC 310. After that, Rakhmonov was expected to remain a leading contender for the title but missed his opportunity due to an injury.
Rakhmonov has been out of action for 21 months. In February 2026, he was removed from the official welterweight rankings due to his prolonged layoff. The Kazakhstani continues to recover from a knee injury, and his return to the Octagon is not expected until 2027. Rakhmonov has 19 wins in 19 professional fights, 18 of which came via stoppage.
