Makhachev vs. Prates Being Discussed for UFC 336 in Toronto, Per Reports

Islam Makhachev and Carlos Prates are being discussed as a possible main event for UFC 336 in Toronto on January 30, according to reporting from KOlmeneroMMA. The matchup has not been made official.

A second pairing is also in the mix for the same card. Ariel Helwani reports that Shavkat Rakhmonov against Michael Morales is under discussion, with Morales also being considered as a backup fighter for the event.

Makhachev, 34, arrives as the welterweight champion with a 29-1 record. The Russian fighter trains out of Eagles MMA and fights from a southpaw stance. His calling card is wrestling: he averages 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy.

Prates, 33, is ranked second at welterweight and carries a 24-7 record. The Brazilian from Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and works from a switch stance. He is the more prolific striker on paper, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, while taking the fight to the ground only 0.21 times per 15 minutes.

Rakhmonov, 31, is unbeaten at 19-0. The Kazakh fighter from DAR Team stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach and lands 3.25 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, a blend of striking and grappling that has defined his run.

Why it matters

• A Makhachev-Prates bout would put the champion against the No. 2 contender, a title fight in all but name.
• The matchup would pit Makhachev's wrestling volume against one of the division's busiest strikers, who has shown little interest in grappling exchanges.
• Rakhmonov's possible involvement keeps an unbeaten welterweight in the title picture, whether as a main-card fighter or in a contingency role.
• Both discussions remain fluid, and the card could still change before anything is finalized.