Islam Makhachev's Next Move: Title Defense Before Ramadan

Islam Makhachev is already plotting his next move — and the clock is ticking.

Fresh off the first defense of his Welterweight crown at UFC 330, where he turned back Ian Machado Garry in Philadelphia, the champion left with more than just another belt over his shoulder. He left with homework.

A Champion, a Scan, and a Deadline

Makhachev revealed that he went through a full medical check-up after the fight, including three MRIs that focused on his spine. The results weren’t alarming, but they weren’t spotless either.

“After the fight, I had three MRIs and had my entire spine checked,” Makhachev said. “There are a few small issues, so I'm working on them. It's nothing serious. I'm just strengthening my spine.”

So the king is hurt, but not broken. This is maintenance, not repair. A champion tuning the engine, not rebuilding it.

That matters because Makhachev already has a window in mind for his second defense at 170 pounds.

“We'll wait for the UFC to call,” he said. “I think the ideal scenario would be to fight before Ramadan. Ramadan starts for us in February. A date before Ramadan would be ideal.”

Ramadan is expected to begin around February 8, 2027, subject to the moon sighting, which leaves the UFC a narrow band of dates to work with. Realistically, that means a title fight in December 2026 or January 2027.

Not much room. No margin for delays, no drawn-out negotiations. If the UFC wants its Welterweight champion active twice in 2027, it has to move now.

Carlos Prates Waiting at the Door

On the other side of that phone call stands a man who believes the shot is already his.

Carlos Prates, the Brazilian knockout artist known as “The Nightmare,” has loudly and repeatedly claimed the UFC promised him the next Welterweight title opportunity. His recent body of work backs up the confidence.

• Three fights.
• Three knockouts.
• Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards, and former champion Jack Della Maddalena — all finished in succession.

It’s the kind of streak that doesn’t just pad a record; it kicks down doors.

Prates insists he’s done enough. No more auditions. No more eliminators.

Makhachev, though, has floated a different route. The champion previously suggested that Prates should face undefeated contender Michael Morales to determine the next challenger. A classic “one more test” scenario.

Prates has no interest in that script. From his perspective, he’s already passed every exam the division could throw at him.

So the stage is set: a willing champion, a surging knockout artist, and a promotion that has to decide whether risk and reward line up in time for a pre-Ramadan showdown.

The 2027 Puzzle

If the UFC does manage to squeeze in a title defense before Ramadan, it opens a bigger door for the year.

Makhachev, the former Lightweight ruler, has typically fought twice a year when healthy. An early defense at Welterweight would put him on track to return again in late summer or fall of 2027, keeping him on his preferred rhythm and giving the division the kind of active champion it craves.

But that’s the ideal version. For now, nothing moves until two things happen.

First, Makhachev has to finish the work he’s started on his spine, turning “small issues” into a forgotten footnote. Then the UFC has to decide if Carlos Prates — with his trail of knockouts and his insistence that the promise has already been made — is officially next in line.

The belt is secure. The timeline is not.