Sports

Makhachev Signals Retirement, Targets Winner of Prates‑Morales Bout

By Manasi Pathak

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev said on X that his next fight will be “one of the last” of his mixed‑martial‑arts career. The 29‑win, one‑loss Russian‑born Dagestani fighter added that he wants to face the winner of the upcoming UFC bout between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales to prove who is the best. Makhachev defended his title in August, defeating Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, extending his winning streak to 17 and surpassing Anderson Silva’s 16‑fight mark. He now seeks to test himself against the winner of the interim welterweight title fight scheduled for January 30, 2027, the co‑main event of UFC 336 in Toronto. “They say Prates is too dangerous for me and Morales is too good for me. So I want to face the best of them and prove to the world once again who is the best in the world,” he said. UFC CEO Dana White noted that Makhachev was originally slated to defend his title against Prates in January but chose to wait for the interim title winner. Makhachev will observe Ramadan in February and early March 2027 before returning in the second quarter of the year. White said, “On average, Islam fights like once a year. He was slated for January, and then said, ‘I don’t want to fight until after Ramadan.’ You can’t hold up divisions like this. You gotta keep moving. This fight makes sense.” Makhachev told the Russian outlet pound4padel that the Prates‑Morales fight will decide “the true, worthy contender.”