
There really was no decision to be made for Shavkat Rakhmonov when his title shot fell through. The top contender to Belal Muhammad had zero plans to drop off UFC 310.
Rakhmonov will co-headline Saturday’s card vs. Ian Machado Garry. And while he is putting his championship match on the line, he understands the consequences.
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“I could have fought for the title,” Rakhmonov said in a recent interview (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “I could have just waited for the title fight. But I wanted to fight. I wanted to stay active and strengthen my position as the No. 1 contender.”
The proposed main event for the card between Rakhmonov and Muhammad was dropped when the champion suffered an injury. His fight with Garry will still be contested over five rounds.
Shavkat Rakhmonov record: 18-0 (8 KOs, 10 submissions)

“I’m very glad (he accepted),” Rakhmonov said. “A lot of fighters turned it down. He backed up his word, so I’m glad I’m fighting.”
The 30-year-old has won all 18 of his pro fights but has not competed since last December. He submitted Stephen Thompson to position himself in the division. That win marked his third straight submission, as all 18 have been finished.
Rakhmonov and Garry have some history, as they sparred previously. The unbeaten fighter believes Garry was “selective” in what footage he released.
“What’s most important for me is the win,” he said. “Sparring is sparring, fighting is different. Ian Garry is a very tough opponent. For me, what’s most important is to win.”
UFC 310 takes place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs live on ESPN+ pay-per-view with Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura headlining for the flyweight title.
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