Shavkat Rakhmonov shows interest in welcoming Kelvin Gastelum back to welterweight

Shavkat Rakhmonov is down to give Kelvin Gastelum his welcome back to 170 pounds.

The unbeaten UFC welterweight contender expressed his interest in the potential matchup when he quote Tweeted Gastelum (18-8 MMA, 12-8 UFC) on Tuesday.

“Should I be the one to welcome Kelvin back to 170?” Rakhmonov wrote on Twitter while tagging UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Sean Shelby.

Should I be the one to welcome Kelvin back to 170? @danawhite @seanshelby https://t.co/1zuIontmkH

— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) May 23, 2023

Gastelum has been fighting at middleweight in recent years, but recently announced he will return to welterweight. That announcement came after his Fight of the Night victory over Chris Curtis in April at UFC 287 in Miami.

Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who’s been an unstoppable force in the octagon, most recently fought in March when he submitted veteran Geoff Neal at UFC 285 in Las Vegas.