The welterweight title race has taken an unexpected turn, with Carlos Prates set to meet Michael Morales for the interim belt at UFC 336. The two will clash in the co-main event when the promotion heads to Toronto on January 30.
Prates was initially expected to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title, but that matchup is now off the table. Makhachev pulled out, explaining that he wouldn’t have enough time to prepare with Ramadan starting just nine days after the event.
With several contenders vying for a shot at 170 pounds, Makhachev believes Prates and Morales should settle the pecking order themselves. However, Dana White wasn’t pleased with how things played out and accused the champion of holding up the division. The UFC CEO made it clear that Makhachev shouldn’t keep the welterweight title picture on hold while delaying his return.
Dana White Says Islam Makhachev Wanted to Delay His UFC Return Until After Ramadan
During the UFC 333 post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked what happened behind the scenes that led to Islam Makhachev no longer fighting on January 30. The UFC CEO didn’t seem too pleased with the situation and made his frustration clear.
He said, “Islam, you know, on average Islam fights like once a year, and he was slated for January and then said, I don’t want to fight until after Ramadan.”
White wasn’t done there. He added, “And you just, you can’t hold up divisions like this. You got to keep moving, and this fight makes sense.”
The reporter then asked whether Makhachev had given the UFC a reason for not fighting in January, especially since the champion had initially wanted to compete before Ramadan. White kept his response short, saying, “No. No reason.”
🚨 Dana White says Islam Makhachev didn’t give them a reason for not fighting in January 😬
“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.” https://t.co/CbvnxoyyIS
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 24, 2026
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Neither the UFC nor Makhachev has publicly provided a detailed explanation for why the January matchup fell through. However, the Dagestani isn’t someone who regularly withdraws from fights. His last voluntary withdrawal came in November 2020, when he pulled out of a scheduled bout against Rafael dos Anjos after suffering a staph infection.
A January showdown between Makhachev and Prates appeared to be on the cards, but the UFC has now booked Prates against Michael Morales for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336. The winner is expected to face Makhachev when the champion returns later in 2027. The change in plans has clearly frustrated Prates, who accused Makhachev of delaying his shot at UFC immortality.
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Makhachev, meanwhile, fired back by bringing up Prates’ only UFC loss, which came against Ian Garry last year. The Brazilian lost to Garry over five rounds, while Makhachev later defeated the Irishman at UFC 330 to secure his first welterweight title defense.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
