Islam Makhachev was expected to kick off the UFC’s 2027 calendar by defending his welterweight title on January 30 against Carlos Prates in Canada. However, those plans have reportedly fallen through, with the champion no longer being targeted to headline UFC 336 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

On Friday, Brazilian outlet Ag Fight reported that Makhachev had pulled out of the proposed title fight against Prates, citing sources close to the development. The report also indicated that the promotion was already negotiating behind the scenes to find a replacement for the event’s main-event spot.

However, there is an important distinction here.

The UFC had reportedly targeted the matchup, but the fight was never officially announced. And while the news initially suggested that Makhachev had simply withdrawn, prominent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has since offered more clarity on what happened.

“That was originally the hope/plan, but I’m told the UFC is looking elsewhere now. Date doesn’t work for Makhachev anymore. Unclear why,” Helwani wrote on X after the news broke of Islam’s cancellation.

So, what changed?

Neither Makhachev nor the UFC has publicly explained why the date no longer works. However, the welterweight champion had previously revealed that he sustained a rib injury during his successful title defense against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in August.

Garry landed 16 body shots on Makhachev during their bout at Xfinity Arena in Philadelphia. Following the fight, the welterweight champion received a mandatory 30-day medical suspension, which ended on September 14.

Before that suspension period ended, Makhachev disclosed to Match TV on September 9 that he had undergone three MRI scans to assess his damaged rib.

The 34-year-old insisted that the injury was minor and that he could resume training once he received medical clearance. Plus, he remained willing to fight before Ramadan began in February 2027.

Naturally, the rib injury raises questions about whether Islam Makhachev’s recovery could have played a role in the scheduling change. However, there is no confirmation linking the injury to the reported change of plans. For now, the only explanation reported by Helwani is that the January 30 date no longer works for the champion.

Meanwhile, the No. 1-ranked Carlos Prates had already made his intentions clear.

The Brazilian called out Makhachev in a social media video for a showdown in January, and prominent journalist Alvaro Colmenero subsequently reported on X that the UFC was targeting the fight for the Toronto event in early 2027.

The potential matchup made sense for the promotion, with Prates looking to earn his first UFC welterweight title shot. But despite the build-up, the fight now appears to be off the table for UFC 336, leaving both the champion’s return and the event’s main event uncertain.

It is certainly unusual for a disciplined champion like Makhachev to have his plans disrupted at this stage. However, the Dagestani has faced a similar situation before.

In 2020, the UFC booked Makhachev against Rafael dos Anjos to headline UFC Vegas 14. In a surprising turn of events, the Makhachkala native abruptly pulled out of the bout. Initially, the reason for his withdrawal remained under wraps, but it was later revealed that he had suffered a nasty staph infection that prevented him from facing dos Anjos on fight night.

Hopefully, nothing serious of that nature has happened to Makhachev this time around. Still, with the champion no longer being targeted for UFC 336, the promotion has a major problem to solve. And Dana White has now reacted to the reports surrounding the proposed title fight falling apart.

Dana White reacts to Islam Makhachev pulling out from UFC 336   

Dana White joined Nina Drama for their regular stream of the PowerSlap 25 event on October 23, 2026. During the stream, the influencer asked the UFC CEO about the rumors of Islam Makhachev’s potential pullout from the UFC 336 event. Well, White decided to keep the response short, but clear enough to understand.

“Ah. Interesting,” Dana White said with a grin on his face.

The UFC boss, as usual, refrained from providing any details of his promotion’s premier champion’s withdrawal. But the expression on his face could be a giveaway that reports were true. In fact, White previously gave the green light to the matchup, adding even more credibility.

In an interview with Paramount+’s Shakiel Mahjouri in mid-October, White promised UFC’s ambitious plans for 2027. While doing so, he discussed the prospect of Prates facing Makhachev next year, an idea he didn’t oppose.

“Yeah, he is in a great spot,” White said. “He is in a great spot in a lot of different areas.”

Again, it wasn’t a dead giveaway, but the UFC CEO’s reaction was enough to suggest that the Carlos Prates vs. Islam Makhachev matchup was indeed in their plans for the welterweight title showdown.

Now, with the January date reportedly no longer working for Makhachev, the UFC must decide how to move forward. The promotion could look for another headliner for its Toronto event, while Prates may have to wait for another opportunity to fight for the title.

Could the UFC introduce an interim welterweight championship if Makhachev’s return is delayed? Or will the promotion simply find another main event for UFC 336 and revisit the Prates matchup later?

For now, neither option has been confirmed. What is clear is that the UFC’s plans for its first numbered event of 2027 have taken an unexpected turn, and fans will have to wait for the promotion’s next move.