UFC welterweight division has moved on from Shavkat Rakhmonov, says reigning champion

Shavkat Rakhmonov hasn’t been seen in action in a while, and a reigning UFC champion thinks the welterweight division is moving on.

There was a time when many thought Rakhmonov would be a lock for a run with the 170-pound title, but now there are questions about his fighting future. He hasn’t competed since late 2024 when he defeated Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision.

Rakhmonov was scheduled to challenge Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title at UFC 315. That plan changed when Rakhmonov went down with an injury. Jack Della Maddalena replaced Rakhmonov and defeated Muhammad to capture the 170-pound gold.

Speaking to MMAFighting.com, Maddalena discussed where things stand now with Rakhmonov and whether or not he remains the true No. 1 contender.

“It’s hard for me to tell,” Della Maddalena said. “I think the division has moved on. If you stay inactive, you kind of fall behind. I think that’s where it is.

“Someone like Sean Brady has been so active, Ian Garry, these guys are very active. How can Shavkat stay in that top position when these guys are fighting guys? It’s a hard one but I’ll just do whatever I’m told. Whoever’s next is who the UFC tells me is next.”

Maddalena recently spoke to Newsweek Sports and he believes there are some exciting welterweight matchups on the horizon. Maddalena will be putting his gold at stake against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 on Saturday. On that same card in New York City, Sean Brady will collide with Michael Morales, and former UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards will take on Carlos Prates.

Stick with the BJPenn.com homepage on Saturday for your UFC 322 fix. Live results, video highlights, and post-fight reactions from MMA pros will be posted throughout fight night. Stay with us on Sunday for all of the key takeaways from the stacked card.