UFC's Makhachev unable to defend title; interim title bout booked

• Brett OkamotoOct 24, 2026, 04:09 PM ET

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  Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.

The UFC has booked an interim welterweight title fight between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales in January, with undisputed champion Islam Makhachev unable to defend his title until the second quarter of 2027.

Officials announced the 170-pound interim title bout Saturday. According to the UFC, Makhachev (29-1) was expected to defend his belt at UFC 336 on Jan. 30 in Toronto, but he is now unavailable. The champion will then observe the Muslim holiday of Ramadan beginning in February, pushing his return to at least May.

UFC 336 will take place at ScotiaBank Arena. A flyweight title fight between Joshua Van (18-2) and Manel Kape (23-7) will actually headline the event, with the interim title fight serving as the co-main event.

Prates (24-7) has been one of the most dynamic finishers in MMA since his UFC debut in 2024. He is 7-1 inside the Octagon, with notable wins over former champions Jack Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards. All seven of his UFC wins have come by knockout. Morales (19-0) has been similarly explosive. He is 7-0 in the UFC with five knockouts, four of which have come in the first round.