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Islam Makhachev Says His Next Fight Is One of His Last as He Continues ...
Makhachev says he wants the interim title winner to establish a clear contender before his next defense, which he calls one of his last.
- On Friday, UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev announced his next title defense will be "one of the last" of his career, intending to face the winner of the interim title bout between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales.
- UFC CEO Dana White previously scheduled a January title defense, but Makhachev declined to wait for an interim champion, leading White to claim the Russian fighter was "holding up the division."
- Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will compete for the interim welterweight belt at UFC 336 on January 30, a bout Makhachev said will determine "the true worthy contender" before he returns to the Octagon.
- Following his decision to bypass a January bout, the 35-year-old champion plans to observe the Muslim holiday of Ramadan during February and March, not returning to action until the second quarter of 2027.
- Seeking to solidify his legacy, Makhachev aims to achieve a 20-fight win streak and prove he remains "the best in the world" before retiring; the 29-1 fighter intends to fight only three more times.
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14 Articles
14 Articles
The Russian referred to his future at the UFC and said he wants to measure himself with whoever wins the match for the interim title welter.
·Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 33%
C 50%
R 17%
Factuality
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