Islam Makhachev's UFC 336 Pass Sparks Interim Title and Prates Feud

Islam Makhachev will not defend his UFC welterweight title at UFC 336 in January. The promotion has instead booked an interim title fight between top contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, sparking a public feud and debate about the champion's decision.

UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the move, stating the event's late-January date did not align with Makhachev's schedule. The champion is expected to return in late May or June following the observance of Ramadan. With the division needing to move, the UFC created an interim bout. White did not appear pleased with the situation, suggesting Makhachev was holding up the division by not accepting the January date.

The announcement triggered a fiery exchange. Makhachev's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, warned welterweight contenders against trash-talking, stating the champion would make them look bad and they added nothing to his legacy. Prates, who faces Morales for the interim belt on January 24, fired back aggressively. "I will not add anything on his legacy; I will finish his legacy, brother," Prates wrote. Makhachev reportedly turned down the fight partly due to the timeline and partly because he wanted to see the top contenders settle the number one spot first.

Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo has sided with Makhachev. On his podcast, Cejudo argued the champion's stance is correct. "If I was Islam, I’d be like, ‘How come these guys don’t fight each other? Let me fight the best dude,’" Cejudo said. He believes the Prates vs. Morales fight is a legitimate pay-per-view main event that will definitively produce the next challenger, a process Makhachev has advocated for in the past.

The path is now set for the first half of 2026. The interim title fight headlines UFC 336, giving the undefeated Morales (19-0) a chance to solidify his status and Prates (24-7) an opportunity to back up his bold words. The winner will then be positioned for a unification bout with Makhachev in the summer, assuming the champion returns as planned. This sequence creates a clear, if delayed, title picture.

• Interim Title Set: Carlos Prates vs. Michael Morales for the interim welterweight championship at UFC 336 on January 24, 2026.
• Champion's Return: Islam Makhachev is targeting a title defense in late May or June 2026 after Ramadan.
• Key Support: Henry Cejudo publicly supports Makhachev's logic in waiting for a clear top contender.
• Public Feud: A heated exchange between Makhachev's camp and Carlos Prates has added personal stakes to the interim bout.