Islam Makhachev reveals his next UFC fight is one of the last in my career

Islam Makhachev is eyeing the end of the road.

Makhachev, the UFC welterweight champion and MMA's current pound-for-pound king, announced Friday on social media that his next title defense will be "one of the last" fights of his Hall of Fame-worthy career. A former lightweight champion, Makhachev is expected to next face the winner of UFC 336's interim title clash between top contender Carlos Prates and the undefeated Michael Morales, which goes down Jan. 30 in Toronto.

Makhachev's full message:

My next fight is one of the last in my career.

They say Prates is too dangerous for me and Morales is too good for me.

So I want to face the best of them and prove to the world once again who is the best in world.

Makhachev (29-1) was initially expected to defend his belt against Prates at UFC 336 to kick off the promotion's 2027 numbered event schedule. However, those plans were ultimately scrapped when Makhachev was unable to make the date work. Makhachev is now expected to return in mid-2027, much to the chagrin of UFC CEO Dana White.

"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 told reporters after UFC 333. "You can't hold up divisions like this. You've got to keep moving, and this [interim] fight makes sense."

Makhachev, 35, is one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history. A protege of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev is currently riding the longest win streak in promotional history (17), and his four consecutive defenses of the UFC lightweight title from 2023-2025 is also an all-time UFC record.

Makhachev vacated his lightweight belt in 2025 to move up to 170 pounds and capture welterweight gold instead. He dethroned the then-champion, Jack Della Maddalena, this past November, then notched his first welterweight title defense in a hard-fought battle against Ian Machado Garry in August at UFC 330.