Zuffa LLC

Shavkat Rakhmonov doesn't believe that he should've taken a clash with Ian Machado Garry back in late 2024.

Rakhmonov and Garry collided in the UFC 310 co-main event. The competitive welterweight clash went all five rounds, and Rakhmonov was awarded the unanimous decision. Unfortunately for the undefeated Kazakh star, he was forced to miss all of 2025, and he won't be returning this year due to injury setbacks.

Garry has since taken credit for damaging Rakhmonov's knee, but that may have not been the case. Speaking to Alfredo Auditore for ALF Global, Rakhmonov revealed that a prior injury was truly what bothered him during the fight with Garry.

“I already had an injury going into the Ian Garry fight,†Rakhmonov said. “I stepped in, I hadn't fought for a year. I wanted to fight. Even before that, I had health problems too, and it turned out that there were only two weeks left before the Ian Garry fight. That old injury was still bothering me a lot. My leg was swollen.â€

Rakhmonov then said he doesn't feel he should've taken the fight with Garry having been as hurt as he was. Ultimately, Rakhmonov pushed through it, but it may have come at a cost.

“Well, that's my problem,†Rakhmonov admitted. “I couldn't fight. If I had fought, I could've become champion, but that's how it turned out. I was injured. What can I do? We are only human, and we are bound to make plenty of mistakes. If you really look at it, I also made a wide variety of mistakes throughout my sports career. I actually shouldn't have even fought Ian Machado Garry at all.â€

Many are wondering if Rakhmonov can ever reach his full potential amid his injury history. Comparisons to UFC Hall of Famer Dominick Cruz have been made. Despite a litany of injuries, Cruz was able to overcome long layoffs to become a two-time UFC bantamweight titleholder.

What do you make of Shavkat Rakhmonov's belief that taking the Ian Machado Garry fight was a mistake? Let your voice be heard in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Zuffa LLC

Ian Machado Garry believes he would outlast Islam Makhachev if he has a second chance against the reigning UFC welterweight titleholder.

Garry and Makhachev shared the Octagon in the UFC 330 headliner back in August. While Garry was able to mark up the pound-for-pound great's face a bit, he was dropped in the second round with a head kick. While Garry tried to thwart Makhachev's grappling, the champion still clearly had the advantage in that area and it led to a unanimous decision win.

In an interview with DAZN, Garry said he has no doubt in his mind that a rematch against Makhachev would play into his favor.

“Yeah, I definitely think the biggest thing I could've done was a bit more volume,†Garry admitted. “A bit more volume, more kicks, more venom in the shots to the head, but at the end of the day when you're stood in front of a man who has been able to beat everyone he's stood in front of, it's difficult to maneuver that, but I feel like if I fight him right now, I beat him.â€

The chances of Garry getting a second chance against Makhachev are slim for now. Makhachev will be moving on to another contender, potentially Carlos Prates. Other top names, such as Michael Morales, are waiting in the wings. It doesn't help that UFC CEO Dana White wasn't thrilled seeing Garry be chummy with Makhachev in the fifth round when “The Future†was down on the scorecards.

Garry currently holds the No. 2 spot on the Meta UFC rankings, and he's No. 1 on the media rankings panel. There is no shortage of top contenders who would be fresh matchups for the Irish star. Garry has said he wants to get back to action as soon as possible.

Do you think Ian Machado Garry would make significant adjustments in a rematch with Islam Makahchev, or would you expect more of the same? Chime in with your opinion in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Shavkat Rakhmonov hasn't competed since defeating Ian Machado Garry, essentially on one leg, after dealing with knee injuries for nearly two years.