Carlos Prates: Makhachev and Khabib booking fights when they want is not the right way

Carlos Prates accuses Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov of being inactive champions.

Prates (24-7 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was furious when welterweight champion Makhachev opted not to fight him at UFC 336. As a result, Prates will face Michael Morales (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the interim belt on Jan. 30 in Toronto.

While Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight title once a year, Makhachev (29-1 MMA, 18-1 UFC) has been more active. He had two title fights in 2023 and 2025.

“I think Khabib and Islam, they’re the same,” Prates said in an interview with Squawka. “They book fights when they want, when they feel really good. Of course, it’s OK – they are the champs. When Khabib was champ, he did the same. You wait too long to fight, do maybe one fight per year. It is what it is. I don’t think it’s the right way to do things.”

Makhachev wanted Prates and Morales to fight to see who truly is the No. 1 contender. He admitted the winner will be one of the last fights of his career.

“Why is Makhachev talking about retirement? Maybe he made enough money and just wants to enjoy time with his family, in his own country, take care of his family,” Prates said. “That’s what everybody should do. At some point, you stop and take care of family, health and everything. I think he’s doing the right thing.”

If Makhachev isn’t ready to go by summer, Prates hopes he doesn’t hold up the division for too much longer.

“He should vacate his belt – not now. It’s OK – we’re going to fight for the interim belt,” Prates said. “But after that, after Ramadan, we’re planning to fight in June or something like that, and if he says, ‘Oh, I’m not ready,’ come on. Stop. Time to retire. Is June the deadline? Yeah.”

Morales is undefeated, but Prates enters on three straight stoppage wins against top-level competition.

“I’m going to beat Morales,” Prates said. “Nothing against him, nothing personal against him, just business. But I’m going to hurt him, I’m going to knock him out, and then I’m going to be really excited to fight Makhachev.”

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Carlos Prates: Makhachev and Khabib booking fights when they want is not the right way