A top welterweight contender won't be returning to the octagon anytime soon.
Shavkat Rakhmonov has re-injured his knee and had surgery recently, his manager Danny Rubenstein told Yahoo Sports' Ariel Helwani on Saturday.
The injury and subsequent procedure were on the same leg that has sidelined Rakhmonov for over one year, and he is expected to be out for an additional nine-to-10 months, Helwani added.
The 31-year-old fighter out of Kazakhstan has a perfect 19-0 record in professional mixed martial arts with eight wins by knockout, 10 by submission and nine first-round finishes.
His absence further opens the door for contenders such as Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Garry to take on Islam Makhachev for the division's belt.
