Islam Makhachev said yes to Carlos Prates before he said no. That’s the account from Dana White, who confirmed this week that the welterweight champion had verbally agreed to defend his title at UFC 336 before withdrawing. White said Makhachev’s reversal is clogging up 170 pounds just as the matchmakers thought they had it sorted.
“Yeah, it was verbally agreed to,” White told reporters in Las Vegas on Wednesday. MMA Junkie, MMAFighting.com and The Mac Life all carried his comments.
When White was asked why the champ walked away, he went straight to the bank account. “I think it’s money,” he said. He explained that young, hungry fighters chase frequent paydays, and he added that “once you start to get enough money, you don’t have to fight all the time.” He didn’t torch Makhachev completely, though. “And for him, to be fair to Islam, look at what he’s accomplished,” White said.
He was clear about how often he wants his champions working. “Being the champ, I don’t really expect you to fight three times a year, but twice would be nice,” White said. “What you start to do is back up the division, because lots of guys would like a shot at the title.”
Where the division stands now
With Makhachev out, the UFC booked Prates against Michael Morales for the interim welterweight title. That fight is the co-main event of UFC 336 in Toronto on January 30. According to reports, Makhachev pulled out of negotiations and insisted that Prates and Morales settle the No. 1 contender spot between themselves first. He also said he wants to face the best possible challengers. Heavy reported that he simply didn’t want to fight in January. The champion is expected to face the interim winner sometime in mid-2027, and he has indicated he plans to return after Ramadan.
Makhachev has also hinted that his next fight could mark the beginning of the end. He suggested he only has a few fights left.
His recent run is absurd. In 2025 he defended the lightweight belt against Renato Moicano at UFC 311, then moved up and beat Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to take the welterweight title. His only 2026 appearance came on August 15 in Philadelphia at UFC 330, where he beat Ian Garry for his first successful welterweight defense and his 17th straight Octagon win. MMA Mania counts four trips to the cage over the past three years for the 35-year-old, who is widely rated the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.
He isn’t the only star setting his own calendar. Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev each fought once in 2025 and once in 2026.
Quick take
I’m not mad about the fight we got. Prates vs. Morales for interim gold is a violent, legitimate pairing between two contenders, and it would deserve a co-main slot with or without a belt on the line. The part that stings is the verbal yes. If you tell the promotion you’re in and then back out, people will reasonably start reading the request for Prates and Morales to settle the No. 1 contender spot as a polite way of saying he’ll fight when he feels like it. At 35, with 17 straight wins and talk of only a few fights left, Makhachev has earned that kind of leverage. The welterweight division still pays for it. Its next undisputed title fight is now penciled in for mid-2027, and nothing in the division is settled until January 30 in Toronto.
