Carlos
Prates’ manager, Lucas Lutkus, says Islam
Makhachev declined a proposed January title defense against the
Brazilian without explaining his decision to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Prates was expected to challenge Makhachev for the undisputed
welterweight championship at UFC
336 on Jan. 30, 2027, in Toronto. Instead, he will face
Michael
Morales for the interim title.
Lucas Lutkus says the UFC was frustrated after Islam Makhachev
declined a proposed Carlos Prates title fight
Speaking to MMA
Fighting, Lutkus said the UFC had told Prates’ team to prepare
for Makhachev and that the Brazilian immediately accepted.
“Islam said at the press conference that he wanted to fight before
Ramadan,” Lutkus said, “And the UFC had already told us that the
plan was to have this fight at the first numbered event in January.
‘Get ready for that date.’”
Lutkus said the UFC later informed him that Makhachev would not be
ready for January.
“The UFC called me last Tuesday and said, ‘Islam is out,’” Lutkus
said. “I asked if it was an injury, and they said Islam hadn’t
given them a reason. He had only said he wouldn’t be ready for
January.”
The change caught Prates’ camp off guard, Lutkus said, particularly
after Makhachev had publicly expressed a desire to fight before
Ramadan and indicated that Prates deserved a title shot.
“I don’t think even the UFC really knows what happened,” Lutkus
said. “Anyway, something made him change his mind. I’m not naive
enough to think Islam Makhachev is afraid to fight Carlos Prates,
but something made him change his mind.”
Lutkus also said the promotion was unhappy with Makhachev’s
decision.
“The UFC doesn’t know either, and that’s why they were a little
upset with Islam,” Lutkus said.