TLDR
- Islam Makhachev verbally agreed to fight Carlos Prates at UFC 336 in January before withdrawing from the matchup
- Dana White expressed frustration with Makhachev’s activity level, saying champions should fight at least twice per year
- The UFC created an interim welterweight title fight between Prates and Michael Morales to fill the UFC 336 main event
- Makhachev said the Prates fight makes no sense because he already beat Ian Machado Garry, who defeated Prates
- White believes money is the reason Makhachev wants to fight less frequently now that he’s financially secure
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmafighting.com
UFC President Dana White has publicly criticized lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for backing out of a planned title defense against Carlos Prates at UFC 336 in January 2027. White confirmed that Makhachev had verbally agreed to the fight before withdrawing from the matchup.
“Yeah, it was verbally agreed to,” White told The Mac Life on Wednesday when asked if Makhachev had committed to facing Prates. The champion’s decision forced the UFC to create an interim welterweight title fight between Prates and Michael Morales for the January 30 event.
White expressed frustration with Makhachev’s activity level as champion. “Being the champ, I don’t really expect you to fight three times a year, but twice would be nice,” he said at a press conference following UFC 333.
The UFC president suggested that financial security might be driving Makhachev’s decision to fight less frequently. “I think it’s money,” White explained. “Once you get so much money — when guys are young and hungry, they want to fight a lot because they want to get paid. But once you start to get enough money, you don’t have to fight all the time.”
Petr Yan says Islam Makhachev is the best person to explain why his team decided against the Carlos Prates fight.
“I don’t know what the reasons were. But if Islam’s team made that decision, there must be an explanation, and he can tell you better and more accurately himself.”… pic.twitter.com/znxrnjd2lZ
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) November 4, 2026
Makhachev Explains His Decision
Makhachev has defended his choice to decline the Prates fight, arguing that the matchup makes little sense for his career. The champion pointed out that he recently defeated Ian Machado Garry, who had previously beaten Prates.
According to Makhachev, fighting Prates would add little value to his resume given this chain of victories. White has confirmed that Makhachev does not want to fight until after Ramadan, which would push his next appearance into the spring of 2027.
Some MMA figures have supported Makhachev’s position. Henry Cejudo backed the champion on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, saying “Islam Makhachev is right on this one.” Cejudo agreed that top contenders should fight each other before earning a title shot.
A Pattern of Demanding Top Competition
This is not the first time Makhachev has insisted that challengers prove themselves before facing him. Three years ago, after defeating Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294, he said Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira should fight each other before getting a title shot.
Both fighters went on to lose their next bouts, which Makhachev’s camp viewed as validation of his approach. Other champions including George St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Amanda Nunes have taken similar stances about clearing out divisions.
White’s comments contrast with his earlier defense of Makhachev when rumors circulated about the champion avoiding a fight with Ilia Topuria. “That’s not true,” White said at the time. “It was never Islam versus Ilia Topuria.”
Makhachev is currently ranked as the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighter. He is the 11th two-division champion in UFC history and only the fourth fighter to successfully defend titles in two weight classes.
Since joining the UFC in 2015, Makhachev has compiled an 18-1 record in the promotion. He fought twice in 2026, defending his lightweight title at UFC 311 and winning the welterweight title at UFC 322.
