Makhachev vs. Prates reportedly targeted for UFC 336 in Toronto on January 30

The UFC is negotiating Islam Makhachev vs. Carlos Prates to headline UFC 336 in Toronto on January 30, according to Spanish journalist Álvaro Colmenero. He reported it on Tuesday, October 13, per NY Fights, with Makhachev's welterweight title on the line. The UFC has not announced it.

Colmenero did not say contracts were signed. In the English translation published by NY Fights, he said the fight happens "if the negotiations continue on their course." Outlets in Russia and France ran the story the same day, all citing him, including Lenta.ru and ActuMMA.

What's new and what isn't

The matchup itself has been expected for weeks. In September, Prates told streamer N3on that his next fight was Makhachev, as reported by Heavy. Asked whether it was locked in, he said:

"Yea. I don't know when, but I will."

What Colmenero added is the date, the city and the event number. UFC 336 would be the promotion's first numbered card of 2027. NY Fights names Scotiabank Arena as the venue, but the Colmenero wording it quotes only says Toronto.

The date fits Makhachev's own plans. Ramadan 2027 begins around February 8, per NY Fights. At his UFC 330 press conference, he said "we have to fight before Ramadan, 100%," according to MMA Sucka. In September he told MatchTV he'd had three MRIs and was working on small issues with his spine. "It's nothing serious," he said, per LowKick.

Makhachev has been reported for a Toronto card before. In November 2023, Ariel Helwani reported Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 for UFC 297 in Toronto. Dana White told ESPN it wouldn't headline that card, per Sports Illustrated. UFC 297 went ahead on January 20, 2024, without them.

The fighters

Makhachev is 29-1, and 18-1 in the UFC. He took the welterweight belt from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 on November 15, 2025, winning 50-45 on all three cards. On August 15 at UFC 330, he beat Ian Machado Garry on a unanimous decision. That was his 17th straight UFC win, passing Anderson Silva's record of 16, per Wikipedia.

Prates is 24-7, and 7-1 in the UFC, with all seven of those wins by knockout. His last three were stoppages of Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and, on May 2 in Perth, Della Maddalena in the third round. His only UFC loss was a five-round decision to Garry in April 2025.

Both men have beaten Della Maddalena. Makhachev outpointed Garry, while Garry outpointed Prates. Prates has the longer reach, 78 inches to 70, per our fighter pages.

Both sides have wanted this since May. After the Perth win, Prates said "I want to fight Islam Makhachev next," per SuperSport. Later that month, Makhachev told Red Corner MMA that "a fight with him would be the most interesting," per LowKick.

How the betting has gone

Makhachev has been the favourite in all 11 of his UFC fights with odds since 2021 and won every one. He closed at −345 against Garry and −323 against Della Maddalena. Backing him at the closing price each time would have made a profit of 2.77 units over those 11 fights, a historical result rather than a forecast.

Prates is 7-0 as a UFC favourite and 0-1 as an underdog, the loss coming at +140 against Garry. There are no odds on this fight on our site yet.

We expect Prates to open as a clear underdog. Makhachev closed at −323 against Della Maddalena, while Prates was only −112 against the same man.

What comes next

Next comes an official announcement, and confirmation of the arena. Michael Morales (19-0), the other leading contender, said on October 3 that he has his own fight lined up for January and is aiming for a title shot in June, per MMA Sucka.

Makhachev has said no to January before. In December 2025 he turned down a January 2026 date, saying the call came after he'd already spent three months in camp, per LowKick. He returned in August. If January 30 slips this time, Ramadan pushes any date to at least March.