The UFC has officially booked an interim welterweight title fight between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales for January, as undisputed champion Islam Makhachev remains unable to defend his belt until at least May 2027. Officials announced the 170-pound bout on Saturday, with Makhachev (29-1) expected to sit out due to his observance of Ramadan, which begins in February. The champion was originally slated to defend his title at UFC 336 on January 30 in Toronto, but will now be unavailable.
The interim title fight will serve as the co-main event at Scotiabank Arena, while a flyweight title fight between Joshua Van (18-2) and Manel Kape (23-7) headlines the event. Prates (24-7), who has won all seven of his UFC bouts by knockout since his debut in 2024, enters the fight with notable victories over former champions Jack Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards. Morales (19-0), undefeated in the UFC with seven wins including five knockouts, has been equally explosive, with four of his first-round finishes coming in the opening round.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing