The rising prospects in the UFC ultimately gun for the coveted belt. Undefeated welterweight sensation Shavkat Rakhmonov is tired of waiting around. The Kazakh finisher has staked his claim for a direct title shot. This comes after allegations that Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman ducked him.
Shavkat Rakhmonov called out the winner of the upcoming UFC 304 main event between champion Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad. He minced no words in getting his message across. Rakhmonov believed that he was a prime candidate for the title shot next.
JDM [Jack Della Maddalena] is hurt, [Kamaru] Usman and Colby [Covington] don’t want it. I’m ready to face the winner of Leon vs. Belal.
Shavkat Rakhmonov via X
It’s a bold demand from the 29-year-old but hard to argue against. He has an unblemished 18-0 professional record and a staggering 18 straight finishes. Rakhmonov has torn through the UFC’s welterweight ranks like a hot knife through butter. His most recent outing was a scintillating rear-naked choke submission over fan-favorite Stephen Thompson.
JDM is hurt, Usman and Colby don’t want it. I’m ready to face the winner of Leon vs Belal
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) June 9, 2024
Shavkat Rakhmonov’s potential fight against Jack Della Maddalena was primed for a title eliminator. However, Della Maddalena is still recovering from injury and infection after his war with Gilbert Burns. With him out of the picture, Rakhmonov stands ready to be the next in line for the title after the conclusion of UFC 304. His top 5 ranking in the division ensures that almost definitely.
Shavkat Rakhmonov takes over Colby Covington in the rankings
The UFC divisional rankings are continuously updated. The welterweight division saw some massive changes after UFC 296. Undefeated phenom Shavkat Rakhmonov leapfrogged Colby Covington, sending the outspoken “Chaos” tumbling down to the #5 spot.
Shavkat Rakhmonov leapfrogs Colby Covington in rankings (via UFC.com/ MMA Fighting)For Covington, the demotion is a bitter pill to swallow. After a heated build-up to the fight, he lost via decision against champion Leon Edwards. Moreover, Covington no longer has a ranked win in the welterweight division and has not fought consistently. Rakhmonov well-deservedly earned the promotion for finishing all his opponents and competing more often.
His #3 spot in the rankings assures that he will likely become a title challenger or compete in a title eliminator bout. With #2 Belal Muhammad fighting for the title and #1 Kamaru Usman not coming back anytime soon, the Kazakh sensation could slide in for a title fight later this year if things go to plan.
