Shavkat Rakhmonov is reportedly out of action again, after Sean Brady suggested the division rival won’t return to the UFC

Shavkat Rakhmonov will not fight in the UFC again, according to remarks attributed to welterweight contender Sean Brady. The comment adds another layer of uncertainty to a division that has been treating Rakhmonov as a leading “next” opponent for the champion-level conversation, even as the calendar has moved on from his most recent appearance.

Rakhmonov has not competed since December 2024, when he defeated Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision at UFC 310. That win was described as a welterweight title eliminator, putting Rakhmonov in position for the next championship-aligned matchup rather than remaining a purely speculative contender.

The same reporting connection frames Rakhmonov’s next step as a potential matchup with Belal Muhammad, the former welterweight champion and the division’s most prominent name in current title discussions. In other words, the latest uncertainty is not just about ring rust, but about what shape the welterweight title picture might take next and whether Rakhmonov is still part of that plan.

Brady’s statement, as carried by Yahoo Sports, is being used as the basis for the claim that Rakhmonov “won’t fight again.” That is a significant declaration in a sport where timing, negotiations, and medical or training circumstances often change. Still, with Rakhmonov’s last documented fight in December 2024 and no follow-on bout announced in the available reporting, the division is left weighing what happens if the matchup roadmap shifts away from him.

For fans tracking welterweight stakes, the bigger impact is procedural. If Rakhmonov is effectively sidelined beyond his last eliminator win, UFC matchmaking could pivot toward other challengers and keep the champion’s next defense tethered to a different set of results. That can affect how quickly contenders rise into title contention, and it can also change how often fighters who already fought top-level opponents are asked to wait.

What to watch next is clarity. The reliable checkpoint would be official UFC confirmation about any fight booking, suspension, or status update involving Rakhmonov. Until then, the only firmly supported timeline detail from the current reporting is his last Octagon appearance in December 2024 and the significance of that win as a title eliminator, with the rest of the return picture resting on Brady’s comments.