Islam Makhachev Signals Impending Retirement: Next Fight to Be One of His Last

Reigning UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has indicated that his upcoming bout will be among the final matches of his mixed martial arts career. The Russian fighter shared on X that his next fight is slated to be one of the last in his career. Makhachev, who was born in Russia and hails from Dagestan, has expressed a desire to face the winner of the forthcoming fight between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales. He aims to demonstrate to the world his status as the best fighter. Makhachev, with a record of 29 wins and one loss, successfully defended his UFC welterweight championship in August. He defeated Ian Machado Garry of Ireland via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This victory extended his winning streak to 17 consecutive fights, surpassing the historic 16-fight mark set by UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva between 2006 and 2013. Makhachev, currently the UFC's pound-for-pound top-ranked fighter, is eager to test his skills against the victor of the interim welterweight title fight between Prates and Morales, scheduled for January 30, 2027, as part of UFC 336 in Toronto, Canada. He stated, “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 the world.” UFC CEO Dana White mentioned earlier this month that Makhachev was initially scheduled to defend his welterweight title against Prates in January. However, the 35-year-old opted to wait for the outcome of the interim title bout between Prates and Morales. Makhachev, widely recognized as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, will observe the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in February and early March 2027, with a return anticipated in the second quarter of the year. White commented on Makhachev's fighting frequency, noting, “On average, Islam fights like once a year. He was slated for January, and then said, ‘I don’t want to fight until after Ramadan.’ You can’t hold up divisions like this. You gotta keep moving. This fight [between Prates and Morales] makes sense.” Speaking to Russian outlet pound4padel, former lightweight champion Makhachev stated that the Prates-Morales fight would determine “the true, worthy contender”.