Dana White creates interim UFC welterweight title after Makhachev delays return until post-Ramadan

Islam Makhachev’s decision to delay his UFC welterweight title defence beyond Ramadan has prompted Dana White to strip the division of momentum, ordering an interim championship bout between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales at UFC 336 on January 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

White made the announcement after UFC 333 on Saturday, offering a blunt assessment of the champion’s availability. “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,’” the UFC CEO told reporters. “You just can’t hold up divisions like this. You got to keep moving. And this fight makes sense.”

When pressed on whether Makhachev had offered any explanation for rejecting the January date, White was equally direct: “No, no reason.”

The winner of Prates vs. Morales is expected to face Makhachev in a title unification bout, with a potential date pencilled in for next summer. That timeline would push Makhachev’s next appearance to roughly 18 months after his most recent outing — a pattern White acknowledged when noting the champion averages roughly one fight per year.

The creation of an interim belt is a significant escalation. It signals that the UFC is unwilling to freeze the 170-pound division around Makhachev’s schedule, and it effectively adds competitive pressure on the champion to return promptly after Ramadan or risk the narrative around his reign shifting further.

Prates, a Brazilian striker who has built momentum with a string of finishes, and Morales, an unbeaten Ecuadorian prospect, represent two of the division’s most compelling rising forces. Their collision in Toronto sets up what the UFC hopes will be a high-stakes unification showdown once Makhachev is ready to compete.