Islam Makhachev will not fight at UFC 336, despite the UFC initially planning for the welterweight champion to defend his belt in Toronto. Instead, Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will meet for an interim title on 30 January 2027, with the winner expected to face Makhachev when he returns. The latest markets across upcoming cards can be found through BetVictor’s UFC betting and odds page.
The decision has caused plenty of debate because Makhachev is not injured, has not been stripped and remains the undisputed champion. Dana White has openly criticised his activity, while Islam has now explained why he rejected the proposed January fight with Prates.
So, why is Islam Makhachev not fighting at UFC 336, and why has the UFC created an interim championship instead?
Why Is Islam Makhachev Not Fighting at UFC 336?
The short answer is that Makhachev did not want to fight in January.
Dana White said after UFC 333 that Islam had originally been lined up to compete at UFC 336 before informing the promotion that he wanted to wait until after Ramadan. White was clearly frustrated by the delay and argued that the welterweight division could not be left waiting indefinitely.
Ramadan runs from early February into early March in 2027, and Makhachev has traditionally avoided competing during that period. That leaves a difficult window.
A January fight would have required a full camp immediately after the end of 2026, while waiting until after Ramadan could push his next appearance into May or later.
Rather than leave the welterweight title picture inactive until then, the UFC decided to move forward.
Why Did Islam Turn Down Carlos Prates?
Makhachev has given a different explanation to Dana White.
Islam said he was offered a fight with Carlos Prates, but questioned whether Prates had actually earned a title shot ahead of Michael Morales. His reasoning was simple.
Prates previously lost to Ian Machado Garry, while Makhachev beat Garry in his most recent title defence at UFC 330. Islam also pointed out that Morales was undefeated and waiting for his own opportunity. In his view, Prates and Morales should fight each other first so that the division produces a clear challenger.
That is exactly what will now happen. The difference is that the UFC has added an interim championship to the fight.
Why Is There an Interim UFC Welterweight Title?
This is where the controversy really starts.
An interim title is normally introduced when an undisputed champion cannot defend for a significant period, often because of injury or another unavoidable absence. That is not exactly what is happening here.
Makhachev is still champion and, according to Dana White, there is no major injury preventing him from fighting. The issue is simply that he is not planning to return in January and could remain out until after Ramadan.
White’s position is that the division has to keep moving.
Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will therefore fight for the interim welterweight championship at UFC 336, with the winner expected to face Makhachev in a unification bout once he returns.
That means the UFC could have two welterweight champions at the same time for several months.
Carlos Prates vs Michael Morales at UFC 336
UFC 336 takes place in Toronto on 30 January 2027, with Carlos Prates vs Michael Morales booked for the interim welterweight title.
Prates has built serious momentum with a run of finishes and has beaten former champions on his way into title contention.
Morales, meanwhile, remains undefeated at 19-0 and has won all seven of his UFC fights. Stylistically, it should be a very different challenge for both men.
Prates carries obvious knockout power and has become one of the most dangerous strikers in the division, while Morales brings size, athleticism and an unbeaten record into the biggest fight of his career.
The winner will not be the undisputed champion, but they should have a direct route to Makhachev.
Did Islam Makhachev Pull Out of UFC 336?
Technically, this was not a traditional late pullout.
Makhachev had been targeted for UFC 336, but the fight with Prates was never officially announced by the promotion.
Once Islam made it clear he did not want to compete in January, the UFC changed direction and booked Prates against Morales instead.
That distinction matters.
Makhachev did not withdraw from a formally announced fight card days before the event. Rather, negotiations never reached the point where his title defence became official.
The UFC still expected him to headline the card, though, which explains Dana White’s frustration once those plans changed.
Why Is Dana White Frustrated With Islam Makhachev?
Activity appears to be the main issue.
White said Islam fights roughly once a year and made it clear he does not want the welterweight division waiting for another long gap between title fights.
Makhachev last fought in August, when he beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330. The win was his first successful defence of the welterweight title and extended his UFC winning streak to 17.
If Islam does not fight again until May or later, that could mean around nine months between defences.
That is not extraordinary for a champion, but the UFC clearly wants faster movement at the top of a division with several contenders waiting.
Is Islam Makhachev Injured?
There is no confirmed serious injury keeping Makhachev out of UFC 336.
Dana White specifically said Islam had not given the UFC a medical reason for declining the January fight.
There has been speculation around possible physical issues, including comments from his own camp, but nothing has been officially confirmed. Based on Islam’s own explanation, the main issue appears to be matchmaking rather than injury.
He wants Prates and Morales to determine who the real challenger is before he returns.
When Will Islam Makhachev Fight Next?
There is no confirmed date for Islam Makhachev’s next fight.
The most likely scenario is that he returns after Ramadan and faces the winner of Prates vs Morales. That would mean a title unification bout, with the undisputed welterweight championship on the line.
The UFC has already presented the interim winner as the next challenger, so unless plans change dramatically, Islam’s next opponent should come from UFC 336.
Our UFC schedule 2026 tracks the confirmed cards before the calendar moves into 2027.
Could Islam Makhachev Be Stripped of the UFC Title?
There is currently no indication that Makhachev is being stripped.
The UFC has chosen the interim-title route instead, which allows Islam to remain undisputed champion while Prates and Morales keep the division moving underneath him.
That situation would only become more complicated if his return were delayed significantly beyond the expected post-Ramadan window. For now, the plan is much simpler.
Prates and Morales fight at UFC 336. The winner becomes interim champion. Makhachev returns and the two belts are unified.
Is the UFC 336 Interim Title Fair?
That depends on how you look at it. From the UFC’s side, there are two highly ranked contenders ready to fight and a champion who does not plan to compete until later in 2027. Creating an interim title gives UFC 336 a major welterweight fight and guarantees Islam has a clear challenger waiting.
From Makhachev’s side, he has already defended the belt recently and does not believe either Prates or Morales has separated themselves enough to deserve an immediate shot.
In a strange way, both sides have ended up wanting almost the same thing. Islam wanted Prates and Morales to fight each other. The UFC has booked exactly that.
The argument is really about whether an interim belt needed to be attached. For the latest champions and contenders across every division, see our UFC rankings 2026 guide.
For more UFC news, fight previews and fighter updates, visit the BetVictor UFC and MMA News section.
