UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev sent a stern warning to Carlos Prates following the recent news about the UFC 336 main event.
Makhachev was supposed to fight Prates at UFC 336 in Toronto, but for undisclosed reasons, he is out of the fight. Now, Prates will fight Michael Morales for an interim title instead.
Hearing that news, Prates has clapped back at Makhachev on social media for not taking the fight. Makhachev has seen what Prates has had to say, and he’s not happy about it.
Islam Makhachev Sends Message to Carlos Prates
Taking to his social media, Makhachev sent a stern warning to Prates, chirping him about the fact that he lost to Ian Machado Garry — the same man who Makhachev just beat — while also suggesting the two will lock horns soon inside the Octagon.
“I just beat the guy who chased you around the Octagon for five rounds. Shut up and go train. You’re not on my level. See you soon. #maybe,” Makhachev wrote on his X.
What’s Next for Islam Makhachev?
Since Makhachev is not competing any longer at UFC 336, the promotion had to create an interim belt between Prates and Morales, which is not something that they normally do when a champion has defended his title as recently as Makhachev did against Machado Garry at UFC 330 in August.
Now, with Makhachev out for the foreseeable future, he will have to wait and find out what happens between Prates and Morales, as the two need to first fight inside the Octagon and see who wins before an interim champion will be decided, as that man will presumably become Makhachev’s next title challenger.
At the same time, there is a chance that Makhachev and the UFC could be at such odds that the promotion might not even be interested in having him as their welterweight champion any longer, especially if he doesn’t give them a reason to be out for so long.
We’ll have to see how this whole saga ends up playing out, but right now there is a bit of controversy in the UFC welterweight division with Makhachev.
Islam Makhachev Sends Stern Warning to Carlos Prates