Shavkat Rakhmonov is set to fight Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310, stepping in as a co-main event replacement after Belal Muhammad‘s withdrawal, and while he previously submitted Garry in training, Rakhmonov emphasizes the importance of winning the official bout to maintain his position as the top welterweight contender.
Shavkat Rakhmonov is fully aware of the challenge ahead as he prepares to face Ian Machado Garry this weekend. It’s a five-round showdown, set as the co-main event at UFC 310. Originally, Rakhmonov was slated to battle Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title. However, an injury forced Muhammad to withdraw, leaving Rakhmonov to defend his position as the next title contender. Despite the risks, he’s thrilled to still be fighting.
“I’m very glad,” Rakhmonov shared with Ariel Helwani regarding the change in opponents. Many fighters declined the match, but Garry stepped up, which pleased Rakhmonov. Apparently, even Kamaru Usman turned down the opportunity, along with others from the top-15 rankings. Thus, Ian Garry was brought into the mix.
Rakhmonov reflected on what could have been: “I could have fought for the title.” Yet, he chose not to wait and instead opted to stay active, eager to cement his status as the No. 1 contender. Given Garry’s short-notice entry, he’s a formidable opponent—both undefeated and climbing the UFC welterweight ranks, currently holding the No. 7 spot.
Interestingly enough, Rakhmonov and Garry have some history; they once trained together briefly. In anticipation of their fight, Garry released footage from their sparring sessions. However, Rakhmonov pointed out that Garry was selective about which clips were shared.
“His wife asked if she could film us sparring,” Rakhmonov recounted. He agreed but noted they didn’t ask permission to release it publicly. Curiously, not all parts of their sparring made it online. When pressed on what happened during those sessions, Rakhmonov simply stated, “Ian Garry taps… it was a submission, choke.”
Despite past training victories over Garry, Rakhmonov isn’t underestimating him now. The stakes are high this Saturday, and he’s focused on one thing above all else: winning. “Sparring is sparring; fighting is different,” he emphasized. Acknowledging Garry’s tactical prowess and game planning skills, Rakhmonov remains unfazed by how victory comes—submission or stoppage—as long as he secures the win.
Don’t miss UFC 310 this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas!