Who will Islam Makhachev fight next? Well, recent developments appear to suggest his next opponent has signed a contract for the fight. You see, everyone was hoping the Dagestani sambo specialist would face Ilia Topuria atop the Freedom 250 card in June. But that didn’t end up happening, as both sides started blaming each other for the fight’s failure. So, if not Topuria, then who? 

According to UFC CEO Dana White, Makhachev is set to defend his title for the first time in August. With Carlos Prates booked to face Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Fight Night 275, the race to a title shot has narrowed down to Michael Morales, Ian Garry, and Kamaru Usman. All of them would love the opportunity, but only one of them appears to have landed the title shot.

“Papers ready 🫡✍️,” wrote Michael Morales on Instagram. 

He also shared a bunch of pictures from UFC’s headquarters in Las Vegas, featuring Chief Business Officer (CBO) Hunter Campbell. The caption, in addition to talks of Makhachev’s next fight, appears to suggest Morales could be the man for the fight. Not to mention, on the same night when Makhachev defeated Della Maddlena to become the welterweight champion, Morales defeated Sean Brady to become a top contender for the belt. 

Previously, Morales, who is ranked No. 3 in the welterweight division, has expressed his eagerness to face Islam Makhachev, claiming he is 100 percent willing. However, this fight is yet to be confirmed by the UFC itself. Not to mention, there is No. 2 contender Ian Garry, who has been taking jibes at Makhachev over social media to make the fight happen. 

Kamaru Usman has also expressed his desire for the fight, with Islam Makhachev open to the idea. Only time will tell who actually ends up getting the title shot. However, that doesn’t mean things haven’t been heating up between Morales and Makhachev. 

Islam Makhachev promises to choke out Michael Morales

Besides a potential fight with Makhachev, the Ecuadorian has recently made headlines for his record. The undefeated prospect briefly saw his record changed to 18–1 after a prior exhibition bout was reclassified as a professional loss. 

Backlash and debate quickly followed online, so the decision was reversed and his record returned to 19–0. Makhachev, however, wasn’t about to have it. And he questioned the situation while addressing the sudden change.

“Morales was undefeated a few days ago,” Makhachev said. “But today he’s undefeated again. I don’t know how they removed it.”

Makhachev pointed at the footage of the bout in question and issued a blunt warning to the 26-year-old contender.

“I saw the cage fight—he got choked out, and then they announced it was an exhibition match. Well then, he needs to be choked out again.”

With Morales signing a new contract, it’s possible that Islam Makhachev will get the chance to make his claims a reality. 

From the looks of things, Islam Makhachev and Michael Morales could be heading for a fight later this year. All that is left is for the UFC to confirm it. Do you think this fight will happen next?