UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev said on social media Friday that his next fight against either Carlos Prates or Michael Morales will be one of the final bouts of his career.
My next fight is one of the last in my career. 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 world. https://t.co/bQSw97TzNe
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) October 30, 2026
Prates and Morales will fight for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336 on Jan. 30, 2027 in Toronto. Makhachev is on course to fight the winner at a future date in order to unify the titles.
Prates had been in talks to face Makhachev on the January card until the latter told UFC that he wouldn't be ready to fight on that date.
On Saturday, Prates called Makhachev a "coward" on Instagram for dodging the UFC 336 match.
Makhachev last fought at UFC 330 in August, when he defended the welterweight belt by defeating Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision.
