Mendez maps out Prates, Morales and Rakhmonov as his wishlist to cement Makhachev's GOAT case

Javier Mendez, the head coach of UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, has publicly outlined the three title defences he believes would seal his fighter’s legacy as the greatest in UFC history: Carlos Prates, Michael Morales, and Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Speaking on Submission Radio, Mendez was careful to frame the roadmap as a personal preference rather than a confirmed plan. “This is in my mind, OK? Not Islam’s mind; my mind. I go, Prates, Morales, and then if Shavkat comes back, Shavkat, and then we’ll see after that if he wants to continue,” he said.

Mendez acknowledged that the entire wishlist hinges on Makhachev’s own desire to keep competing. “Those are the three on my wishlist, not Islam’s wishlist. Because at the end of the day, if Islam fights one more fight and he’s done, well, my wishlist goes to hell.”

Prates (24-7) and the unbeaten Morales (19-0) are scheduled to fight for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336 on 30 January 2027 in Toronto. The winner of that bout is expected to face Makhachev (29-1) in a title unification contest, making two of Mendez’s three targets a near-certainty on the calendar.

The third name on the list, Rakhmonov (19-0), is a more uncertain proposition. The undefeated Kazakh welterweight has not competed since December 2024 and has been managing multiple knee injuries, leaving his return timeline unclear.

Mendez’s reasoning centres on the calibre of opposition. Victories over two unbeaten contenders and a potential pound-for-pound talent in Rakhmonov, he argues, would build an irrefutable argument for Makhachev’s place at the top of the sport’s all-time rankings. Whether the champion himself shares that ambition remains an open question.