Dana White says once UFC champions get paid, the hunger and activity drop 💰 He wants his champions defending at least twice a year. Instead, Islam Makhachev turned down a welterweight title defense against Carlos Prates at UFC 336, and that division is on hold again. The numbers back Dana up. The UFC put on 20 undisputed title fights in 2025. In 2026 it’s only had 15 so far. But here’s the other side: champions take the biggest risks for the biggest checks. Can you blame a guy for picking his fights once he’s set for life? Should the UFC strip champions who don’t defend twice a year? #DanaWhite #IslamMakhachev #UFC
Islam Makhachev has turned down a welterweight title defense against Carlos Prates at UFC 336, leaving the 170-pound division on hold again, and UFC CEO Dana White has made clear he wants his champions in the cage more often.
White's stated preference is for titleholders to defend at least twice a year. The numbers show a drop in activity: the UFC staged 20 undisputed title fights in 2025 but only 15 so far in 2026. The promotion's argument is that champions lose some of their hunger once they are well paid. The counterpoint is that champions carry the greatest risk and are entitled to be selective about when and whom they fight.
Makhachev's recent run
Makhachev, 35, is a 29-1 Russian southpaw out of Eagles MMA and holds the welterweight belt. His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15, 2026, a five-round title bout. Before that he beat Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision at UFC 322 on November 15, 2025, and submitted Renato Moicano in the first round at UFC 311 in January 2025. That is three title wins in the records, two of them going the full five rounds. His numbers show a grappling-driven approach: 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes, 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes and 58 percent striking accuracy.
Prates, the man left waiting
Prates, 33, is the No. 2 ranked welterweight and a 24-7 Brazilian who fights out of Vale Top Team. He enters the picture on a three-fight knockout streak, all recorded stoppages: Geoff Neal in the first round at UFC 319 in August 2025, Leon Edwards in the second round at UFC 322 in November 2025, and Della Maddalena in the third round on May 2, 2026. The switch-stance striker lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute, well above Makhachev's 2.27, and throws from a 78-inch reach, eight inches longer than the champion's 70 inches. He also stands three inches taller at six-foot-one.
Why it matters
- A ranked contender on a three-fight knockout run now waits on a champion who has chosen not to take the bout.
- Makhachev has fought twice in the last twelve months in the records, a pace that sits right at White's twice-a-year benchmark.
- The Prates matchup would have pitted the champion's takedown rate against a challenger who attempts only 0.21 takedowns per 15 minutes and carries a significant reach advantage.
The UFC has not announced who, if anyone, will face Makhachev next.
