UFC 6 tournament winner Oleg Taktarov shared his prediction for a potential fight between Islam Makhachev and Shavkat Rakhmonov in an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net.
Oleg Taktarov exclusively for Telecom Asia Sport
Islam should have a couple of defenses with someone a little easier. Of course, there’s Shavkat Rakhmonov. This isn’t Della Maddalena. Shavkat wrestles on the ground no worse than Makhachev, and sometimes even better. He is worse than Islam in the stand-up, so in their matchup I’d give Makhachev a 60 percent chance to win.
Recall that on November 16 at UFC 322 in New York, Islam Makhachev defeated Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision and captured the UFC welterweight title, becoming a champion in a second weight class. Makhachev’s record stands at 28 wins and one loss.
Shavkat Rakhmonov last competed on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310, where he won by unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry. His record stands at 19 wins and zero losses.
