Shavkat Rakhmonov brutally turns down Joaquin Buckley fight
In a recent tweet, Rakhmonov answered Buckley’s callout.
I thought your Conor callout was delusional, but you’ve actually outdone yourself this time https://t.co/GGuAeNFvzv
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) May 30, 2024
“I thought your Conor callout was delusional, but you’ve actually outdone yourself this time,” Rakhmonov responded.
Rakhmonov was linked to a potential showdown with Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 305 in Perth before Maddalena’s recent surgery. As of this writing, Rakhmonov remains without a fight booking for his 2024 return.
Rakhmonov hasn’t fought since a second-round submission of Stephen Thompson at UFC 296 in December. He is 6-0 inside the Octagon with recent victories over Geoff Neal and Neil Magny.
Buckley earned an impressive win over Vicente Luque to climb up the welterweight rankings. After an up-and-down tenure at middleweight to begin his UFC career, he’s found a groove at 170lbs.
Rakhmonov and Buckley are both trending upwards in the UFC welterweight title picture. Despite their similar trajectories, it appears that Rakhmonov isn’t interested in a showdown with Buckley for his next UFC outing.
Rakhmonov and Buckley could be on a collision course if they continue their successes inside the cage. But for now, it appears Buckley will need to look elsewhere for his next Octagon assignment.
