Shavkat Rakhmonov has expressed that he believes accepting the fight against Ian Machado Garry in late 2024 was a misstep.

Rakhmonov and Garry faced each other in the co-main event of UFC 310. The closely contested welterweight bout went the full five rounds, with Rakhmonov ultimately securing a unanimous decision victory. However, the undefeated Kazakh fighter has been sidelined for all of 2025 and will not compete this year due to lingering injury issues.

While Garry has claimed responsibility for aggravating Rakhmonov's knee injury, Rakhmonov has indicated that this may not be the complete story. In a conversation with Alfredo Auditore for ALF Global, Rakhmonov disclosed that a pre-existing injury was the primary concern during his bout with Garry.

"I already had an injury going into the Ian Garry fight," Rakhmonov stated. "I stepped in, I hadn’t fought for a year. I wanted to fight. Even before that, I had health problems too, and it turned out that there were only two weeks left before the Ian Garry fight. That old injury was still bothering me a lot. My leg was swollen."

Rakhmonov further commented that, given his injured state, he shouldn't have accepted the fight with Garry. Although he persevered, it appears to have come at a significant cost.

"Well, that’s my problem," Rakhmonov admitted. "I couldn’t fight. If I had fought, I could’ve become champion, but that’s how it turned out. I was injured. What can I do? We are only human, and we are bound to make plenty of mistakes. If you really look at it, I also made a wide variety of mistakes throughout my sports career. I actually shouldn’t have even fought Ian Machado Garry at all."

Rakhmonov's injury history has led to questions about his ability to reach his full potential, with comparisons drawn to UFC Hall of Famer Dominick Cruz. Despite numerous injuries, Cruz managed to overcome extended layoffs to become a two-time UFC bantamweight champion.

Do you agree with Shavkat Rakhmonov's assessment that fighting Ian Machado Garry was a mistake? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

---

English Translation and Paraphrasing:

Shavkat Rakhmonov Doesn’t Believe He Should Have Fought Ian Machado Garry, Cites Pre-Existing Injury

Shavkat Rakhmonov has stated that he feels accepting the fight against Ian Machado Garry in late 2024 was a mistake.

The two welterweights met in the co-main event of UFC 310. After a competitive five-round bout, Rakhmonov was declared the winner by unanimous decision. However, the undefeated fighter from Kazakhstan has since been sidelined with injuries throughout 2025 and will not be returning this year.

Garry has previously attributed Rakhmonov's knee injury to their fight, but Rakhmonov suggests this isn't entirely accurate. Speaking with Alfredo Auditore for ALF Global, Rakhmonov revealed that a prior injury was the main issue during his fight with Garry.

"I was already injured heading into the Ian Garry fight," Rakhmonov explained. "I accepted the fight after not competing for a year because I wanted to fight. Even before that, I had health issues, and it turned out there were only two weeks left until the Ian Garry fight. That old injury was still significantly bothering me, and my leg was swollen."

Rakhmonov added that, in retrospect, he shouldn't have taken the fight with Garry while being so injured. He pushed through, but it may have had negative consequences.

"That's my fault," Rakhmonov admitted. "I shouldn't have fought. If I had been healthy, I could have potentially become champion, but that's how it happened. I was injured. What can you do? We're only human and we make mistakes. Looking back, I've made many errors in my career. Honestly, I shouldn't have fought Ian Machado Garry at all."

Given his injury history, there's speculation about whether Rakhmonov can reach his full potential, with comparisons made to UFC Hall of Famer Dominick Cruz. Despite facing numerous injuries, Cruz managed to overcome long periods of absence to become a two-time UFC bantamweight champion.