Morales tells Prates to quit smoking ahead of UFC 336 interim welterweight title fight

Michael Morales has issued a pointed warning to Carlos Prates following confirmation that the two will meet for the UFC interim welterweight title at UFC 336 on 30 January 2027 in Toronto, with the winner expected to challenge champion Islam Makhachev in a unification fight.

Responding to Prates calling him a coward, Morales posted a video on Instagram in which he questioned the Brazilian’s timeline and urged him to clean up his habits before they share the octagon.

“You called me a coward, but you needed ten months to get ready to fight me?” Morales said. “Bro, I don’t make excuses. I wait for my moment and take whatever opportunity comes my way. Now shut your mouth and quit smoking, because trust me, you’re gonna need those lungs.”

The backdrop to the interim title bout is Makhachev’s shifting return schedule. After defending his welterweight title against Ian Garry in August, the champion initially signalled he wanted to compete again before Ramadan next year. UFC CEO Dana White has since confirmed that Makhachev now plans to return after Ramadan, creating the window for an interim title to be contested.

Prates, for his part, had directed criticism toward Makhachev rather than his incoming opponent, leaving Morales to redirect the trash talk squarely at the man standing across from him on fight night. The Ecuadorian contender framed his patience as a virtue, positioning himself as a fighter who waits for his moment rather than one who manufactures excuses.

With the unification bout on the horizon, the stakes at UFC 336 extend well beyond an interim belt — the winner walks away as the mandatory challenger to one of the sport’s most dominant champions.