Shavkat Rakhmonov gets fiery callout from dangerous KO artist ahead of long-awaited UFC return

UFC welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov could be weeks away from returning to the Octagon after a hiatus dating back to UFC 310.

It’s been over a year since undefeated welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov entered the Octagon, but he remains a hot-button topic in one of the UFC’s stacked divisions.

Rakhmonov hasn’t fought since a unanimous decision win over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310. He was originally scheduled to face then-champion Belal Muhammad in the UFC 310 main event, but Muhammad withdrew due to a health issue.

Rakhmonov was expected to be rebooked against Muhammad immediately after UFC 310 before suffering a serious leg injury in training. Despite promising an active 2025, Rakhmonov will wrap up the calendar year without competing.

But as Rakhmonov nears a return to the Octagon, likely in the first few months of 2026, a top knockout artist called him out with hostile intent.

Joaquin Buckley promises to ‘f— up’ Shavkat Rakhmonov after ‘black boy’ comment

In a recent Instagram post, Joaquin Buckley sent a fiery callout to Rakhmonov as both contenders plot their returns to the Octagon in 2026.

“I don’t care about that Usman fight, that man had to hold me down, nobody wants to fight with me toe-to-toe,” Buckley said.

“Shavkat! I heard you chirping, heard you talking, talking about ‘black boy’. I’m going to show you where the f— we come from. I’m gonna f— you up! Shavkat, if you don’t sign the mother——, somebody else gonna die.

“I’m burying everybody in the UFC!”

Buckley hasn’t fought since a loss to former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta last summer. The ‘black boy’ comment Buckley referenced concerns a recent social media post by Rakhmonov.

Usman is likely next for UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev in 2026, leaving Rakhmonov and others on the outside looking to cement themselves as top contenders. A fight between Rakhmonov and Buckley could make a lot of sense in the new year.