Islam Makhachev Explains UFC 336 Absence, Tells Prates and Morales to Settle It

Islam Makhachev is not leaving the UFC welterweight title picture to rumor. One day after the promotion booked Carlos Prates against Michael Morales for interim gold, the champion said he passed on a January defense because he wants the two contenders to settle the queue themselves.

Speaking Sunday in an interview reported by MMA Fighting, Makhachev confirmed that the UFC offered him Prates for UFC 336. He also made his next step plain: the Prates-Morales winner gets him.

"Prates and Morales will fight, determine who is a true worthy contender, and I will fight [the winner]," Makhachev said, according to MMA Fighting's translation.

Why Makhachev passed on Prates

Makhachev's argument is less about refusing Prates than making Prates prove he has separated himself from Morales. He pointed to their shared history with Ian Machado Garry. Prates lost a five-round decision to Garry in April 2025, while Makhachev beat Garry by unanimous decision in his August title defense.

"They offered me a fight with Prates, who recently lost to a [Ian Machado Garry] who I beat," Makhachev said. "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 is the real challenger."

There is an obvious piece of champion's logic in that answer. Makhachev gets one challenger instead of two, and the interim fight gives him a future opponent with a fresh five-round title win. The risk is that the welterweight division now carries two belts while its undisputed champion waits.

The UFC will not wait

The UFC officially announced Prates-Morales for Jan. 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. UFC 336 is topped by flyweight champion Joshua Van against Manel Kape, with the interim welterweight fight in the co-main event.

UFC CEO Dana White offered a different emphasis after UFC 333. White said Makhachev had been lined up for January before asking to return after Ramadan, and argued that the division needed to keep moving. Makhachev did not mention Ramadan in the remarks reported Sunday. His explanation centered on forcing Prates and Morales to identify the stronger challenger.

That distinction matters. White described a scheduling problem. Makhachev described matchmaking.

A clean eliminator with a messy belt

Prates has rebuilt quickly since the Garry loss. The 33-year-old Brazilian has knocked out Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena in succession. Morales has not fought since November 2025, but the undefeated Ecuadorian is 19-0 after first-round stoppages of Neil Magny, Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady.

On merit, it is a terrific eliminator. Calling it an interim championship after Makhachev defended in August is harder to defend, especially when both contenders were available to fight each other without another belt entering the division.

Still, the booking removes the argument that either man was skipped. Prates can erase the only recent knock on his record by stopping an unbeaten contender. Morales can turn a long layoff into a title-winning return. Makhachev gets the survivor, exactly as he asked.