Islam Makhachev Plans Title Defense Before Ramadan

Islam Makhachev has his next move mapped out. The Welterweight champion wants to defend his title again before Ramadan – and he wants the UFC to move quickly.

Last month at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, Makhachev turned back Ian Machado Garry in his first defense at 170 pounds, extending his dominance into a second division. He left with the belt, but not entirely unmarked.

After the fight, the champion went through a battery of medical checks.

“After the fight, I had three MRIs and had my entire spine checked,” Makhachev said. “There are a few small issues, so I'm working on them. It's nothing serious. I'm just strengthening my spine.”

So there’s no panic in his camp, but there is a plan. Makhachev wants to be ready for one more grueling camp before the holy month begins.

“We'll wait for the UFC to call,” he added. “I think the ideal scenario would be to fight before Ramadan. Ramadan starts for us in February. A date before Ramadan would be ideal.”

Ramadan is expected to begin around February 8, 2027, which leaves the UFC with a narrow window. Realistically, that means a Makhachev title defense in December 2026 or January 2027 if the promotion wants to keep its champion on his preferred schedule.

And there is a clear frontrunner for that spot.

All roads at Welterweight seem to be pointing toward Carlos Prates. The Brazilian knockout artist insists the UFC has already promised him the next shot, and his recent body of work backs up the claim. “The Nightmare” has torn through Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and former champion Jack Della Maddalena in three straight outings, finishing all three and forcing his name into every title conversation at 170.

Makhachev, ever the competitor, floated a different route. He previously suggested Prates should meet undefeated contender Michael Morales to determine the next challenger. Prates, for his part, has pushed back hard. In his view, the work is done, the résumé is built, and the title shot is earned, not negotiated.

That leaves the UFC matchmakers with a delicate choice: reward the streaking finisher now, or risk cooling him off in a No. 1 contender fight.

Timing only tightens the equation. If the promotion can get Makhachev into the cage before Ramadan, it opens the door for something rare at the elite level: two title defenses in a single calendar year. Historically, when healthy, the former Lightweight king has kept a two-fight-per-year rhythm. An early 2027 defense would set him up perfectly for a late-summer or fall return.

For now, though, everything hangs on two fronts: the champion’s spine work and the UFC’s matchmaking call. Makhachev is already looking at the calendar. The question is whether Carlos Prates will be standing across from him when that pre-Ramadan date finally lands.