Makhachev shared the message with his followers on Friday.

“My next fight is one of the last in my career,” he wrote on X.

The 35-year-old told fans he wants the winner of a January interim title fight: “They say Prates is too dangerous for me and Morales is too good for me. So I want to face the best of them and prove to the world once again who is the best in world.”

Makhachev became a two-division champion when he outpointed Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden in November 2025, lifting the welterweight title with three 50-45 scorecards. He had vacated the lightweight belt earlier that year after a record run of successful defenses. His only outing since has been a welterweight title defense against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia in August 2026.

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‘I don’t have much time’

The retirement countdown has been building for months.

Speaking to UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson on his podcast earlier this year, Makhachev spelled out his new rhythm: “I’m not like young guy. Now it’s better for me to fight every three to four months.”

He was blunter about the reason, telling Johnson he was no longer 28 and did not have much time left in the cage. He also admitted the matchmaking does not always cooperate when he wants it to.

That cadence is light by champion standards. Across almost a year as welterweight king, he has defended the belt once.

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‘You can’t hold up divisions like this’

UFC president Dana White has already lost patience with the schedule.

“On average, Islam fights like once a year,” White told reporters. “He was slated for January, and then said, ‘I don’t want to fight until after Ramadan.’ You can’t hold up divisions like this.”

The promotion’s answer is UFC 336 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on January 30, 2027, where Carlos Prates will meet Michael Morales for an interim welterweight title. Makhachev has publicly accepted the plan and said he will fight the winner. The queue for his belt is being resolved without him in it.

Makhachev has not named a date for his next appearance.

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