Makhachev Explains Why He Passed on Carlos Prates Fight

Islam Makhachev turned down a January title defense against Carlos Prates because he wants Prates and Michael Morales to settle who actually deserves the next crack at his UFC welterweight belt. Instead of facing Prates at UFC 336 on January 30 in Toronto, Makhachev will wait on the sidelines while Prates and Morales fight for interim gold in the card's co-main event, with the winner unifying against him later in the year.

Makhachev laid out his reasoning directly, pointing to Prates' last outing as the reason he wants to see more before committing to a defense.

"They offered me a fight with Prates, who recently lost to 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."

Why Makhachev Passed on Carlos Prates

Makhachev's logic is simple math. Prates dropped a decision to Ian Machado Garry, a fighter Makhachev has already beaten, which muddies his case as the clearest next challenger. Rather than fight Prates and leave Morales, undefeated and unbooked, waiting for a title shot regardless of the outcome, Makhachev wants the two welterweights to fight each other first. UFC CEO Dana White added that Makhachev also prefers to return from his next layoff after Ramadan, which begins in February, pushing any unification fight with the champion into the back half of the year.

That timeline effectively takes Makhachev off the board for UFC 336 entirely. Prates and Morales will headline the promotion's return to Toronto with the interim welterweight strap on the line, and whoever wins walks out as the man Makhachev has to beat to make his case undeniable.

Betting Angle

Prates enters as the favorite over Morales in early lines from BetOnline, with the welterweight finisher's name value and power carrying him into the co-main event as the clear A-side. Morales is unbeaten since arriving in the UFC and has shown enough counter-striking and durability that his plus-money price looks live, especially against a Prates coming off a loss to Garry that exposed some give on the feet. For bettors looking ahead, this fight now effectively functions as a title eliminator with real stakes: whoever wins walks straight into a Makhachev unification fight, so expect the number to tighten as camps progress and fighters begin to shed public value or durability questions in the build-up.

Makhachev remains the betting favorite in any hypothetical pairing with either winner given his unbeaten record and dominant run at lightweight before moving up, but nothing is official there yet since the champion will not fight again until after Ramadan at the earliest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Islam Makhachev turn down a fight with Carlos Prates?

Islam Makhachev said he wants Carlos Prates and Michael Morales to fight each other first to determine the real top contender, noting Prates recently lost to Ian Machado Garry, a fighter Makhachev has already beaten.

Who is Carlos Prates fighting at UFC 336?

Carlos Prates is scheduled to face Michael Morales for the interim UFC welterweight title in the co-main event of UFC 336 on January 30 in Toronto.

Will Islam Makhachev fight the winner of Prates vs. Morales?

Yes, Islam Makhachev is expected to unify the welterweight title against the winner of Carlos Prates vs. Michael Morales, though UFC officials have indicated that fight would happen later in the year after Ramadan.