Belal Muhammad could have his hands full whenever the reigning UFC welterweight champion is ready to make his first title defence.
That’s because Shavkat Rakhmonov looked dominant at times during his victory over Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 310 co-main event Saturday in Las Vegas.
Kazakhstan’s Rakhmonov is now next in line to fight for the belt in the 170-pound division after becoming the first fighter to defeat Machado Garry, winning a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the bout 48-47 (three rounds to two).
Rakhmonov was originally scheduled to challenge Muhammad for the championship but Muhammad, who watched cageside from T-Mobile Arena, withdrew from the event due to a foot injury and subsequent bone infection and was replaced by Machado Garry.
The duo of Rakhmonov and Machado Garry entered UFC 310 a combined 33-0, which set a new record for the most combined wins in a fight between unbeaten opponents.
The previous record was set when former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya entered UFC 253 at 19-0 and became the first to defeat Paulo Costa who was 13-0 prior to that second-round technical knockout loss to Izzy.
Rakhmonov earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous rising fighters in the sport thanks largely to the fact that prior to UFC 310, he had finished every opponent that was put in front of him.
The 30-year-old hadn’t fought since his second-round submission win over Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson almost 12 months ago and didn’t waste much time initiating a clinch, doing so in the opening minute of the bout.
Rakhmonov chewed up more than three minutes of clock with control time along the fence and closed out Round 1 with a powerful overhand right.
They picked up the pace and began throwing more strikes in the second and third with Machado Garry throwing mostly single shots and having little success landing combinations. Anytime the two would clinch up it was clear Rakhmonov had a strength advantage, and his punches would snap Machado Garry’s head back with force.
The back of Machado Garry’s trunks ripped along the cage at some point during the first 15 minutes and the Nevada Athletic Commission made him change his trunks between the third and fourth rounds.
Rakhmonov finally landed a clean takedown in the fourth and did so again in the fifth before Machado Garry made things interesting on the ground.
Prior to Saturday, Rakhmonov had spent just 14 seconds on bottom position in his UFC career – the second-least time spent on bottom in welterweight division history among fighters with at least five appearances – but that changed in the final round when Machado Garry reversed position and worked vigorously for a rear-naked choke that was defended expertly.
Rakhmonov called Muhammad into the cage after improving to 19-0 and the future opponents had a brief face-off.
Muhammad recently resumed training and will be tasked with becoming the first fighter to fell Rakhmonov, likely some time in the first half of next year.
As for Machado Garry, the 27-year-old from Ireland is now 15-1 and will have to reset after his first pro loss.
Machado Garry’s skill set has been overshadowed at times by his loquacious nature, but his talent shone at UFC 310 despite coming out on the wrong end of the decision.
One upcoming matchup Machado Garry may keep a close eye on is next weekend’s Fight Night main event between Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley in Florida.
Machado Garry was initially scheduled to face Buckley on Dec. 14 and has personal animosity towards Covington based on some personal insults Covington has levied in the past.
“Colby Covington is afraid of me,” Machado Garry said this week. “He will never in his life stand in the Octagon with me and face his fears. … I would dog-walk him for 25 minutes and make it the worst night of his life. I promise you that now. He’ll never do it.”