Shavkat Rakhmonov returns to pad work after knee surgery
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Undefeated UFC welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov is back hitting pads after months of recovery from knee surgery that derailed his title aspirations.
Rakhmonov, who carries a 19-0 record, underwent the procedure in January following complications from an injury he sustained before his December 2024 decision win over Ian Garry, Sherdog reports. The Kazakh contender was originally slated to fight then-champion Belal Muhammad for the belt that month, but Muhammad pulled out with a bone infection.
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Rakhmonov's road back from surgery
The 30-year-old reportedly aggravated the knee during the Garry bout and was spotted on crutches with a brace earlier this year. His manager confirmed the surgery in January, with a projected recovery window of nine to ten months. Recent training footage shows Rakhmonov working light mitts while continuing rehab on his left knee.
The welterweight landscape shifted dramatically during his absence. Muhammad lost the title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, then Islam Makhachev moved up from lightweight and captured the strap from Maddalena at UFC 322 last November. Makhachev defends against Garry on August 15 at UFC 330 in Philadelphia.
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If the timeline holds, Rakhmonov could return to competition by October, positioning himself for a title eliminator before year's end.
Photo: Oisinvg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original reporting:
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