Fans finally have reason to be optimistic about Shavkat
Rakhmonov's Octagon return.

Rakhmonov (19-0) hasn't competed since defeating Ian Garry in
December 2024. While he was expected to challenge then-champion
Belal
Muhammad in 2025, the Kazakh 170-pounder was sidelined with a
knee injury. Rakhmonov was expected to recover within a year.
However, fans' hopes came crashing down when “Nomad†was seen
wearing knee braces and using a walking stick earlier this
year.

Shavkat Rakhmonov's latest training footage offers update on
knee recovery

His coach's recent Instagram posts suggest Rakhmonov's recovery is
progressing well.

The undefeated contender was removed from the
Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight rankings after his
latest injury. It was later revealed that Rakhmonov suffered
another knee injury in training and underwent surgery. His team
recently said he should be fit to return in early 2027.

Judging by the latest training footage, Rakhmonov appears to be
recovering well. He can be seen training wrestling, bouncing on his
feet while striking and attempting a guillotine choke.

The welterweight title has changed hands twice since Rakhmonov last
fought. Garry, whom Rakhmonov defeated in his last fight, is now
scheduled to challenge Islam
Makhachev for the title at UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

Sean
Brady claims Ian Garry
doesn't pose a threat to Islam
Makhachev's title reign.

Makhachev (28-1) puts his
Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title on the line
against Garry (17-1) at UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. While
many believe the Irish challenger's evasive movement and defensive
savvy will prove to be tricky for Makhachev to deal with, Brady
foresees the upcoming 170-pound championship bout ending in a
finish by the reigning champ.

Sean Brady believes Islam Makhachev will dominate Ian Garry
from start to finish

Brady notes that despite being tall, Garry is not as big and
powerful as someone like Michael
Morales. Morales, who was also in the running for a title shot
against Makhachev, had knocked out Brady in the first round last
November.

According to Brady, Makhachev won't find it difficult to take Garry
down without the threat of a one-punch knockout. The American also
notes that Garry is not the heaviest of welterweights, as the
Irishman weighed only 180.6 pounds on fight night after rehydrating
for his win over Geoff Neal in
2024.

Brady predicts a dominant victory from Makhachev, ending in a
submission win for the Russian champ.

“Garry is tall, he's long, but he's not like a Morales, where he's
like big and strong,†Brady told Home of Fight. “He's not putting
guys out with one shot… So, I don't think it's gonna be too hard
for Islam to really get him down… I just think it's one-way traffic
for Islam. I think he's gonna get him down and sub him in. Ian's
not the heaviest 170-pounder either. I think he fought in
California, where they release your weight on fight night. Ian was
only 181 pounds in the back.â€

😤Sean Brady
believes Islam
Makhachev vs. Ian Garry
will be one-way traffic and is confident Islam will finish him
easily.

“Ian is definitely a big guy, but he isn't going to put you out in
one shot.

The moment Islam gets his hands on him, expect him to make it
one-way traffic… pic.twitter.com/9HGAvcySyA

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight)
August 4, 2026

Cain
Velasquez has reflected on how life has changed since his
release from prison.

The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship champion was incarcerated after
targeting an individual he accused of molesting one of his young
relatives. He was released earlier this year, but has stayed away
from the limelight. Velasquez has now opened up about his time in
prison and the changes that have followed.

Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez reveals how life changed
after prison

Back in 2022, Velasquez pursued Harry Goularte, a man he accused of
molesting one of his young relatives in San Jose, California. He
even shot at Goularte's vehicle, but he came away uninjured.
Velasquez was later sentenced to five years in prison for the
incident.

After being released in February upon serving 11 months, Velasquez
has been focused on rebuilding his life. He is currently mentoring
fighters at
American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose.

“I’ve always been a teacher even though I didn’t necessarily think
I was or I didn’t want to,†Velasquez told NBC. “But now I’m taking more on that road of
teaching others, but I’m still looking to learn. In the last four
years of getting things taken away…I’ve always stayed really just
true to myself and how I want to continue with life and that’s
living from a place of love and giving back. It all just starts
with forgiving yourself. Hopefully somebody can see my story and
hopefully that can help them as well. They can learn from my
mistakes as well.â€

When Velasquez trains and teaches at AKA, he makes sure to spend
time practicing breathing, which he calls “ascension breath,†to
deal with past traumas.

“The breathing helps you get rid of or work through some traumas,
things that you haven’t let go of, but also the day-to-day, let go
of things in the moment so you can just focus on what you’re doing
here, and that’s the specific form of combat,†Velasquez added.