Prates vs Morales is official. The UFC announced on Saturday, during the UFC 333 broadcast from Abu Dhabi, that Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will fight for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336, on January 30, 2027 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Champion Islam Makhachev told the promotion he would not be ready for that date.
Key takeaways
- Carlos Prates (24-7) faces the unbeaten Michael Morales (19-0) for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336, January 30, 2027 in Toronto.
- Dana White says Makhachev was slated for January, then said he did not want to fight until after Ramadan.
- Joshua Van defends the flyweight title against Manel Kape in the main event, and Prates vs Morales is the co-main event.
Prates vs Morales: what the UFC announced
The card
UFC 336 takes place on Saturday, January 30, 2027 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Flyweight champion Joshua Van (18-2) defends his belt against Manel Kape (23-7) in the main event. The interim welterweight title fight between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales is the co-main event.
Why an interim belt
Islam Makhachev beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330 on August 15 and was expected back in January. He informed the UFC that the date no longer worked for him. According to Sherdog, the winner in Toronto is expected to face him next in a title unification bout.
Dana White’s explanation
Speaking to reporters backstage in Abu Dhabi, Dana White said Makhachev fights about once a year and had asked to wait until after Ramadan. The UFC chose not to freeze the division and booked the 2 top contenders instead.
2 contenders on a roll
Carlos Prates
The Brazilian has won 3 straight fights, all by stoppage, against Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena, with a Performance bonus each time. His only UFC loss came against Ian Machado Garry in April 2025. In August, he said the UFC had promised him the next title shot, as we reported.
Michael Morales
The Ecuadorian is 19-0 and has won all 7 of his UFC fights. He has not fought since stopping Sean Brady in round 1 at UFC 322 in November 2025.
A clash of finishers
Prates has finished all 7 of his UFC wins. Morales has never been beaten as a pro. One of the 2 records breaks in Toronto.
You can't hold up divisions like this. You've got to keep moving, and this fight makes sense.
The war of words has already started
Prates goes after the champion
On Instagram, Prates said he is the number 1 contender, that he knocked out 2 former champions while Morales only beat Sean Brady, and mocked Makhachev for not being ready to fight in 3 months. He promised to knock out Morales on January 30 and then come for the champion.
Makhachev replies
On X, Makhachev answered: “I just beat the guy who chased you around the Octagon for 5 rounds. Shut up and go train. You’re not on my level.” To a fan, he added that he would be back as soon as the real contender is known.
Follow the fight
Carlos Prates, Michael Morales and Islam Makhachev all have their profile, record and rating in the FightHub app.
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