A regional report published on 6 November 2026 by Jang Vaqti says Shavkat Rakhmonov's return from his second knee surgery may slip, with the most optimistic case for a UFC comeback listed as June 2027. Neither Rakhmonov, his team nor the UFC has confirmed that timeline.
What the report says
According to Jang Vaqti, which attributes the information to a post on its Telegram channel, rehabilitation after the second operation has been slower than expected. The outlet says Rakhmonov's knee still cannot handle heavy physical loads. He is limited to one light training session a day, is reportedly doing boxing work, and has not yet returned to wrestling drills.
The report cites no named source for the June 2027 estimate and describes it as the most optimistic scenario. The claim was then spread on X by the account DovySimuMMA, which wrote that Russian MMA outlets were reporting the fighter "injured again". We could not find the same report from MMA Fighting, ESPN, MMA Junkie or Sherdog.
The background
Rakhmonov, 19-0 with eight knockouts, ten submissions and one decision win, has not fought since beating Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision over five rounds at UFC 310 on 7 December 2024. Sherdog reported in July 2026 that he reportedly fought that bout with a knee injury that was aggravated, and that he was later seen with a brace and crutches.
His manager confirmed he had surgery in January 2026 after re-injuring the knee, according to Sherdog, and he was expected to return nine to ten months after the operation. In July, Sherdog said he had resumed light pad work and was still rehabbing his left knee. Bloody Elbow reported in May that he was back in contact training, and MMA Mania said no timeline had been set, though early 2027 seemed likely. If the new report is accurate, a June 2027 comeback would sit well beyond those earlier expectations.
Our database shows Rakhmonov was last listed at number two in the UFC welterweight rankings on 3 February 2026. Machado Garry, whom he beat, is now ranked number two as of 3 November 2026.
The welterweight picture moves on
The division has not waited. Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion, beat Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry on 15 August 2026. Carlos Prates, ranked first, is booked to face Michael Morales, ranked third and also unbeaten at 19-0, for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336: Van vs. Kape on 30 January 2027. Makhachev remains the undisputed champion.
According to coverage by NDTV Sports of comments Makhachev made around 6 and 7 November, the champion said he would not wait for Rakhmonov if his return slipped toward late 2027, noting that Rakhmonov is out of the rankings. We could not open that page ourselves, so those comments are as relayed on the card sent to our desk.
What comes next
No fight date or opponent has been announced for Rakhmonov. Until he or the UFC gives an update, the June 2027 date should be treated as an unconfirmed estimate from regional media.
Follow Rakhmonov, the welterweight rankings and UFC 336 in the free Pugna MMA app — live round-by-round results plus a free no-money prediction game in eight languages. Think you know who wins Prates vs. Morales? Make your free pick and compare with friends.
Sources
This article was generated with AI and may contain errors.