"Fight of the Century in UFC." Will Rakhmonov face Makhachev?

Following the cancellation of the fight against Belal Muhammad, which was supposed to take place at UFC 310, foreign media are suggesting new contenders for a matchup with the Kazakh fighter, as reported by Shavkat Rakhmonov Vesti.kz.

According to the author of championat.com, Rakhmonov could face Islam Makhachev and this bout could be compared to the rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov:

"Shavkat understands well that a fight with Islam is the challenge of a lifetime. Especially if by that time Rakhmonov manages to secure the championship belt for himself. Then he would be able to compete for an unification bout. Such challenges always attract immense attention from fans. On paper, Shavkat and Islam have the potential to deliver the fight of the century in the UFC, and that’s from a sporting perspective.

Of course, it’s unlikely that anyone can surpass the overwhelming interest surrounding the clash between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Both fighters generated significant excitement for that matchup. Moreover, the importance of that fight is beyond doubt. Initially, it seemed that Khabib was the favorite, and he ultimately secured a decisive victory. However, in this case, the odds may be very close, and the outcome of the fight could be highly unpredictable."

Previously, Rakhmonov stated that he is ready to meet Makhachev.

It’s worth noting that Rakhmonov was left without an opponent after Belal Muhammad, the UFC welterweight champion, was forced to withdraw from the scheduled fight on December 7 at UFC 310 due to health issues.