Islam Makhachev is NOT defending his UFC welterweight title at UFC 336, flat-out refusing to fight Carlos Prates because he doesn’t think Prates is worthy of sharing the octagon with him, at least not yet. This isn’t just a snub, it means an interim title fight is on the books instead, and we might not see the champ in action for nearly a year.
Too Unworthy For the Champ?
Fans were totally expecting Makhachev to throw down for his third title defense in January, but instead, we got the announcement of an interim title fight between Prates and undefeated Michael Morales. Turns out, Makhachev was indeed offered the Prates fight, and he made his feelings clear on pound4padel.ru. He told them, in Russian, “Yes, Prates and Morales will fight to determine who is a true worthy contender, and I’ll fight the winner.” Oof. He went on, “They offered me a fight with Prates, who recently lost to Ian Machado Garry, someone I beat. If I beat him, Morales would already be next in line, who’s not fighting and waiting for (a title shot). Just let them fight, and we will figure out who’s the real challenger.” So, the champ thinks Prates needs to prove himself by taking out another top guy before he gets a shot.
A Long Wait For Makhachev Fans
This whole situation is a gut punch for Makhachev fans. Many were hoping to see him fight before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which runs from February 7 to March 8. But with this interim title fight now booked, Makhachev could be sidelined until the summer of 2027. That’s a seriously long layoff for a champ.
Meanwhile, Prates has been on a tear since his loss to Garry, racking up three straight knockouts, stopping former champions Jack Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards, plus veteran Geoff Neal. His opponent, Michael Morales, is flat-out undefeated in his MMA career and has also stopped his last three opponents: Sean Brady, Gilber Burns, and Neil Magny.
So, for now, the welterweight division is playing a waiting game. The winner of Prates vs. Morales at UFC 336 will eventually get their shot at Makhachev, but don’t hold your breath for that fight to happen anytime soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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