Michael Morales has made it clear that he wants a big fight next. The top UFC welterweight recently sent a warning to the division’s top names, calling out Islam Makhachev, Carlos Prates, and Ian Garry in a hype video teasing his next move. But one name stood out from the rest: Shavkat Rakhmonov.
The undefeated Kazakh has been missing from the Octagon since December 2024, when he beat Garry at UFC 310 despite dealing with a significant knee injury. What initially looked like a temporary setback has turned into a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Rakhmonov was diagnosed with a torn ACL and meniscus and initially attempted to recover through rest and rehabilitation. However, he eventually went under the knife on January 31, 2026, with his recovery expected to take around nine to 10 months.
That timeline left fans wondering when they would see the 19-0 contender back in action. In May 2026, his manager, Daniel Rubenstein, suggested that a return in 2027 was the most realistic possibility based on the early recovery outlook.
Rakhmonov has since dropped hints that he could be back next year, raising hopes of a long-awaited return. And while his comeback date remains uncertain, Dana White doesn’t appear to be ruling out the possibility just yet.
Dana White Teases Massive UFC Matchups for January and February 2027
Rakhmonov recently gave fans another reason to speculate about his return. The Kazakh took to TikTok to share a video of himself gearing up for a sparring session, but it was the caption that really caught everyone’s attention. It read, “19-0 VS 19-0.”
The message seemed pretty clear. Both Rakhmonov and Morales have undefeated 19-0 records in MMA, making a showdown between the two one of the most exciting possibilities in the welterweight division.
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The speculation gained even more momentum on Wednesday when Dana White spoke to Paramount and was asked about a possible fight between the two contenders. White didn’t confirm anything, but his response was enough to get fans talking. He said with a smile, “Could be. Could be.”
He followed that up by adding, “If it was done, we would announce it, but yeah, we actually have a lot of cool stuff going on right now that we went over yesterday.”
White also hinted that the UFC has plenty of big fights in the pipeline, with 2027 shaping up to be an exciting year for the promotion. He added, “Yeah, we got a lot of good announcements coming up. The end of this year is going to be incredible.”
🚨 Dana White was asked if Michael Morales vs Shavkat Rakhmonov is in the works
“Could be. We actually have a lot of cool stuff going on right now. We got a lot of good announcements coming. We’re going to have a good January/February.” 👀 https://t.co/wgSFYN0oJV
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 14, 2026
He concluded with, “I think because of the way this year played out, and the way the end is, we are going to have a good January and February too.”
January and February 2027 could indeed deliver some massive fights. Rumors have already linked Islam Makhachev to a welterweight title defense against Carlos Prates at UFC 336. Meanwhile, fans could also see the long-awaited returns of Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje during the opening months of the year.
With Rakhmonov and Morales potentially joining the mix, the UFC could have another major welterweight showdown on its hands.
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