Last month, Islam Makhachev made history by defeating Ian Garry at UFC 330. He surpassed Anderson Silva’s record of 16 consecutive wins by securing the 17th straight victory of his career. But after reaching this massive milestone, the Dagestani icon’s next step inside the Octagon became even more intriguing. Finally, the reigning welterweight champ opened up about his return date while providing an update on his ongoing injury.

In a recent interview with Match TV, Makhachev revealed that he has undergone three MRIs and is currently recovering from a rib injury he sustained against Garry. In doing so, the 34-year-old revealed his desire to fight again before Ramadan 2027. 

“After the fight, I had three MRIs and had my entire spine checked. There are a few small issues, so I’m working on them. It’s nothing serious. I’m just strengthening my spine. We’ll wait for the UFC to call. I think the ideal scenario would be to fight before Ramadan. Ramadan starts for us in February. A date before Ramadan would be ideal.”   

Following his victory at Xfinity Arena on August 15, Islam Makhachev received a mandatory 30-day medical suspension for a rib contusion. Garry’s 16 body shots left the Dagestani’s rib bruised during the fight. However, his suspension will end in just a few days, on September 14. That means Makhachev can finally resume training for his upcoming fight, which he wants to happen before Ramadan.

Next year, Ramadan is expected to begin around early February and could last until early March 2027. In that case, Makhachev could easily return sometime in December 2026 or January 2027. Well, the UFC will hold its marquee Madison Square Garden event in November, but the Makhachkala native will most likely take a little more time to properly recover from his injury. In fact, the 170-pound champ usually fights around that timeline.

Last year, Islam Makhachev defeated Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January, before Ramadan began in February. Following that, he returned in November to face Jack Della Maddalena at MSG at UFC 322, which took place months after Ramadan.

In fact, Makhachev previously claimed at the UFC 330 post-fight press conference that he would return before Ramadan. For this reason, the UFC could be hunting for a worthy contender for the Dagestani to face, and a stellar challenge could be waiting to follow the champion’s timeline and make his own comeback.  

Carlos Prates wants to fight Islam Makhachev before Ramadan

After Ian Garry couldn’t topple Islam Makhachev from the welterweight championship throne, many believe Carlos Prates could be the one to finally do it. The Brazilian possesses serious power in his shots, which helped him take out two former champs, Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena, back-to-back. So, it’s hardly surprising that people would back ‘The Nightmare’ to pull off that magic once again.

However, what’s troubling Prates the most is that the UFC isn’t providing him with a date. Yet, he told fellow Brazilian and retired UFC veteran Gilbert Burns in an interview that he’s open to facing Makhachev at the end of this year.

Prates said it would be a “perfect” scenario if he headlines UFC 335, which is scheduled for December 12 in Las Vegas. He’s also not opposed to the idea of facing the Dagestani in Australia in January. Both dates fall before Ramadan 2027 in February. But that’s not all. After watching Makhachev clash against Garry, Prates is confident that he would actually be the one to finally stop the Dagestani’s winning train. 

“If he was able to get Makhachev off his back, I can do it too,” Prates told Burns. “I became even more confident. Based on the things I saw and the amount of time we have to train, I was like, ‘F—k, I think we can do this.’ I already thought so, and now I saw Ian Garry defend certain positions the same way I do, like the back against the cage. I do that a lot.”  

That said, with both fighters looking to return around the same time, it would be intriguing to see whether the UFC matches them up or not. There’s also Michael Morales, who’s waiting for his title shot, so the matchmaking at 170 pounds remains up in the air. But Makhachev ending 2026 with a fight could be the perfect way for the UFC to cap off a thrilling year.