# Shavkat Rakhmonov
**Shavkat Rakhmonov** (Шавкат Рахмонов; born 1994) is a Kazakh professional mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC welterweight division, where he is known by the nickname "Nomad" and an unblemished 19-0 professional record built almost entirely on stoppage wins.[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) Of his 19 victories, 8 have come by knockout or technical knockout and 10 by submission, and the only fight he did not finish was a five-round unanimous decision over [Ian Machado Garry](https://www.edgepedia.org/ian-machado-garry) at [UFC 310](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-310) in December 2024.[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) • [2](https://africa.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/44938903/ranking-best-unbeaten-mma-fighters-ilia-topuria-khamzat-chimaev)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Record | 19-0-0: 8 (T)KO wins, 10 submission wins[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) |
| Born | 1994, Kazakhstan; 1.85 m, 77 kg; orthodox stance[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) |
| Team / nickname | Kill Cliff FC; "Nomad"[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) |
| UFC debut | UFC 254, 24 October 2020, submission of Alex Oliveira[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) |
| First six UFC opponents | All finished, including Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Stephen Thompson[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/469096/shavkat-rakhmonov-expected-to-miss-several-more-months-after-another-surgery) |
| UFC 310 | Unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry, 8 December 2024, the first time in 19 professional appearances he failed to get a finish[2](https://africa.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/44938903/ranking-best-unbeaten-mma-fighters-ilia-topuria-khamzat-chimaev) |
| Status | Sidelined since December 2024 after knee surgery; removed from the UFC welterweight rankings in February 2026[4](https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2026-07-27/engk-nknk-shavkat-rakhmonov-not-expected-to-return-to-the-octagon-in-2026/) |
## Early career and background
Rakhmonov came to mixed martial arts through combat sambo, boxing, and pankration after his family moved to [Kazakhstan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kazakhstan), and he has described a childhood of frequent street fights in which refusing a challenge was not an option.[5](https://vesti.kz/mixedfights/ya-rabotal-gruzchikom-shavkat-rahmonov-trudnostyah-puti-266571/) Before fighting paid, he worked as a loader at a bazaar for roughly two to three years, training in boxing and combat sambo after work, and he quit working only after becoming a champion.[5](https://vesti.kz/mixedfights/ya-rabotal-gruzchikom-shavkat-rahmonov-trudnostyah-puti-266571/)
**M-1 Global champion.** He fought on the Russian promotion M-1 Global and the Kazakhstan MMA Federation circuit from 2014, winning all of his early bouts, and held the M-1 Global welterweight title.[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) • [5](https://vesti.kz/mixedfights/ya-rabotal-gruzchikom-shavkat-rahmonov-trudnostyah-puti-266571/) In a 2019 interview he explained that his M-1 contract allowed the promotion to release him to the UFC if he won the belt and defended it once; he defended the title against Tiago Varejao Lacerda at M-1 Challenge 102 in Nur-Sultan on 28 June 2019.[5](https://vesti.kz/mixedfights/ya-rabotal-gruzchikom-shavkat-rahmonov-trudnostyah-puti-266571/) • [1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov)
## UFC career
Rakhmonov entered the UFC undefeated at 12-0 and debuted at [UFC 254](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-254) in October 2020, submitting Alex Oliveira.[6](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh9I68QLdZY) • [1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) He then finished Michel Prazeres (June 2021), knocked out Carlston Harris at 4:10 of the first round in February 2022, and submitted [Neil Magny](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-magny) in June 2022, a win that earned a UFC Fight Night Performance of the Night bonus.[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) • [7](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/shavkat-rakhmonov?language_content_entity=en&page=1) • [8](https://www.cbssports.com/ufc/fighter/50037715/shavkat-rakhmonov/)
**Rise to contention.** At UFC 285 in March 2023 he submitted [Geoff Neal](https://www.edgepedia.org/geoff-neal), and at UFC 296 on 17 December 2023 he made Stephen Thompson submit to a rear naked choke at 4:56 of the second round, leaving his record at 18-0.[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) • [9](https://www.arabtimesonline.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2023/dec/Arabtimes18dec2023.pdf) Before the Thompson fight he stated publicly that he was ready to win the welterweight title.[10](https://www.ufc.com/news/shavkat-rakhmonov-i-am-ready-to-win-the-welterweight-title-ufc-296)
**UFC 310 and the Garry fight.** Rakhmonov was slated to challenge then-champion [Belal Muhammad](https://www.edgepedia.org/belal-muhammad) at UFC 310 on 7 December 2024, but Muhammad withdrew after a bone infection in his foot put him in the hospital and out for a minimum of six weeks.[11](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/belal-cae-de-la-pelea-estelar-del-ufc-310-por-lesion-n/) Rakhmonov instead faced the also-undefeated Ian Machado Garry in the co-main event and won a five-round unanimous decision.[12](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/pantoja-somete-a-la-promesa-japonesa-y-se-consolida-como-rey-n/) • [2](https://africa.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/44938903/ranking-best-unbeaten-mma-fighters-ilia-topuria-khamzat-chimaev) The fight was the first time in 19 professional appearances that he failed to get a finish, ending a streak of 18 consecutive stoppage wins (eight knockouts and ten submissions).[2](https://africa.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/44938903/ranking-best-unbeaten-mma-fighters-ilia-topuria-khamzat-chimaev) • [13](https://fightsplit.com/news/wonderboy-warns-the-welterweight-division-rakhmonov-is-coming) He later revealed he had fought the bout with a torn MCL.[14](https://www.espn.com.sg/mma/story/_/id/44269560/16-welterweights-go-head-head)
## Injury and layoff
Rakhmonov has not competed since the December 2024 Garry fight. He was originally expected to challenge Muhammad for the welterweight title in 2025 but was sidelined with a knee injury, and in January 2026 his manager, Daniel Rubenstein, confirmed that Rakhmonov had undergone surgery after re-injuring the same knee, with an expected absence of another nine to ten months.[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/469096/shavkat-rakhmonov-expected-to-miss-several-more-months-after-another-surgery) • [15](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-Welterweight-Shavkat-Rakhmonov-Remains-Sidelined-After-ReInjuring-Knee-199961) In February 2026 he was removed from the UFC welterweight rankings, where he had previously been ranked second.[4](https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2026-07-27/engk-nknk-shavkat-rakhmonov-not-expected-to-return-to-the-octagon-in-2026/)
**Recovery timeline.** His coach Eduard Bazrov, head coach of DAR Team, said in July 2026 that Rakhmonov was recovering from the leg injury, training once a day on physical conditioning and boxing, and might be fully ready for a fight in February 2027, with no exact return date possible.[4](https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2026-07-27/engk-nknk-shavkat-rakhmonov-not-expected-to-return-to-the-octagon-in-2026/) Bazrov expected him to be matched against a top-10, possibly top-5, opponent on his return because of his former No. 2 ranking.[4](https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2026-07-27/engk-nknk-shavkat-rakhmonov-not-expected-to-return-to-the-octagon-in-2026/) By mid-2026 he had returned to pad work after the knee surgery, and Sherdog still listed him at 19-0.[16](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Shavkat-Rakhmonov-returns-to-pad-work-after-knee-surgery-nears-UFC-comeback-201797/amp)
## Fighting style
Rakhmonov describes himself as a balanced fighter rather than a pure striker or grappler, finishing fights wherever the situation presents itself, and he has said he never chose opponents, always accepting whoever was offered.[5](https://vesti.kz/mixedfights/ya-rabotal-gruzchikom-shavkat-rahmonov-trudnostyah-puti-266571/) His record bears this out: the 10 submission wins include a guillotine against Oliveira in his UFC debut, and the eight knockout wins include the head-kick-aided finish of Carlston Harris.[1](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) An analytical breakdown of the Garry fight credited him with controlling the middle and close distances while giving up ground on the outside, and noted questions about his work at range.[17](https://agentmma.com/news/57864-analysis-shavkat-rakhmonov-impressed-in-victory-over-ian-garry) ESPN's tournament exercise described him as having exceptional striking and grappling and called him as qualified and dangerous a title contender as the UFC has.[14](https://www.espn.com.sg/mma/story/_/id/44269560/16-welterweights-go-head-head)
## References
1. [Shavkat Rakhmonov MMA Career Stats, ESPN](https://www.espn.in/mma/fighter/stats/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov)
2. [Ranking the best undefeated fighters in MMA, ESPN](https://africa.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/44938903/ranking-best-unbeaten-mma-fighters-ilia-topuria-khamzat-chimaev)
3. [Shavkat Rakhmonov expected to miss several more months after another surgery, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/469096/shavkat-rakhmonov-expected-to-miss-several-more-months-after-another-surgery)
4. [Shavkat Rakhmonov not expected to return to the Octagon in 2026, Kursiv](https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2026-07-27/engk-nknk-shavkat-rakhmonov-not-expected-to-return-to-the-octagon-in-2026/)
5. ["Я работал грузчиком". Шавкат Рахмонов - о трудностях, пути к успеху, семье, казахстанском спорте, карьере и UFC, Vesti.kz](https://vesti.kz/mixedfights/ya-rabotal-gruzchikom-shavkat-rahmonov-trudnostyah-puti-266571/)
6. [Rise of Shavkat Rakhmonov, UFC on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh9I68QLdZY)
7. [Shavkat Rakhmonov, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/shavkat-rakhmonov?language_content_entity=en&page=1)
8. [Shavkat Rakhmonov - UFC Record, Stats and Profile, CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/ufc/fighter/50037715/shavkat-rakhmonov/)
9. [Arab Times, 18 December 2023](https://www.arabtimesonline.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2023/dec/Arabtimes18dec2023.pdf)
10. [Shavkat Rakhmonov: 'I'm Ready To Win The Welterweight Title', UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/shavkat-rakhmonov-i-am-ready-to-win-the-welterweight-title-ufc-296)
11. [Belal cae de la pelea estelar del UFC 310 por lesión, Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/belal-cae-de-la-pelea-estelar-del-ufc-310-por-lesion-n/)
12. [Pantoja caza al 'samurái callejero', Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/pantoja-somete-a-la-promesa-japonesa-y-se-consolida-como-rey-n/)
13. [Wonderboy Warns the Welterweight Division: Rakhmonov Is Coming Back Nastier, FightSplit](https://fightsplit.com/news/wonderboy-warns-the-welterweight-division-rakhmonov-is-coming)
14. [Who survives a 16-man MMA welterweight tournament?, ESPN](https://www.espn.com.sg/mma/story/_/id/44269560/16-welterweights-go-head-head)
15. [UFC Welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov Remains Sidelined After Re-Injuring Knee, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-Welterweight-Shavkat-Rakhmonov-Remains-Sidelined-After-ReInjuring-Knee-199961)
16. [Shavkat Rakhmonov returns to pad work after knee surgery, nears UFC comeback, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Shavkat-Rakhmonov-returns-to-pad-work-after-knee-surgery-nears-UFC-comeback-201797/amp)
17. [Analysis: Shavkat Rakhmonov impressed in victory over Ian Garry, AgentMMA](https://agentmma.com/news/57864-analysis-shavkat-rakhmonov-impressed-in-victory-over-ian-garry)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Welterweight and middleweight fighters › Welterweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license