UFC pound-for-pound leader Islam Makhachev has announced that his next title defense will likely mark the beginning of the end of his combat sports career. As reported by Yahoo Sports, the 35-year-old champion revealed on social media that his upcoming bout will be one of his last before retiring from mixed martial arts.
Awaiting the Top Welterweight Contender
Makhachev plans to return to competition in the second quarter of 2027 following his observance of Ramadan in February and early March. Rather than taking an earlier fight, he has elected to wait for the outcome of an interim title match between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, scheduled for Jan. 30 in Toronto.
UFC CEO Dana White had disclosed earlier this month that Makhachev was initially slated to defend his belt on the Jan. 30 card. However, the champion opted to delay his return so the top contenders could fight each other first. Speaking to Russian outlet pound4padel, Makhachev explained, “Prates and Morales will fight, determine who is the true, worthy contender, and I will fight [the winner].” He added, “Just let them fight, and we will figure out who is the real challenger.”
The UFC had previously explored a potential matchup between Makhachev and Prates, who recently suffered a defeat against Ian Machado Garry. Because Makhachev had already defeated Garry, he felt the divisional picture needed greater clarity. Makhachev addressed the situation directly on X, writing: “My next fight is one of the last in my career. 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 world.”
A Historic Championship Record
Makhachev’s decision comes while he remains at the summit of the sport. A longtime training partner and protege of former undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev holds a professional record of 29 wins and just one loss, alongside a 17-fight winning streak that stands as the longest in UFC history.
His championship run began at UFC 280 in October 2022, where he captured the lightweight crown by submitting Charles Oliveira. He subsequently moved up to the welterweight division in November 2025, securing a second belt by defeating Jack Della Maddalena.
With his timeline now set for mid-2027, Makhachev will monitor the Jan. 30 showdown in Toronto to learn who will meet him in what is expected to be one of the final appearances of his career.
