The possible date and opponent of Islam Makhachev's next fight have been revealed

Russian fighter and UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev may return to the octagon in late January 2027. His likely opponent will be Brazilian Carlos Prates.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to TASS, this was written by journalist Álvaro Colmenero on his page on the social network X. According to his information, the bout could take place in Toronto, Canada, as part of the UFC 336 event.

Earlier, Makhachev successfully defended the welterweight championship belt, defeating Irishman Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330 in Philadelphia.

The 34-year-old Russian has competed in 30 mixed martial arts bouts, recording 29 victories and one defeat. In 2025, he made history as the first Russian fighter to win UFC championship titles in two weight classes.

Before moving to the welterweight division, Makhachev held the lightweight championship belt since October 2022 and successfully defended it four times. In November 2025, he defeated Australian Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision and won the welterweight title.

The Russian's potential opponent, Carlos Prates, is 33 years old. His professional career includes 24 victories and 7 defeats.