Last month, Islam Makhachev made history by defeating Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330. The victory gave him his 17th consecutive win, moving him past Anderson Silva’s record of 16 straight UFC victories. But after reaching that milestone, the question quickly shifted to when the reigning welterweight champion would return. Makhachev has now provided an update on both his recovery and his preferred timeline for his next fight.

Speaking to Match TV, Makhachev revealed that he has undergone three MRIs and is currently recovering from a rib injury he sustained against Garry. While the scans showed a few minor issues that he is working on, the 34-year-old insisted that nothing is serious. More importantly, he made it clear that he wants to fight again before Ramadan 2027.

“After the fight, I had three MRIs and had my entire spine checked. There are a few small issues, so I’m working on them. It’s nothing serious. I’m just strengthening my spine. We’ll wait for the UFC to call. I think the ideal scenario would be to fight before Ramadan. Ramadan starts for us in February. A date before Ramadan would be ideal.”

Makhachev received a mandatory 30-day medical suspension after his August 15 victory at Xfinity Arena, with the suspension stemming from a rib contusion. Garry landed 16 body shots during the fight that left the UFC welterweight champion with a rib injury. His suspension is set to end on September 14, allowing him to resume training once he is cleared by a medical professional.

That gives the UFC several months to put together Islam Makhachev’s next title defense before Ramadan begins. Ramadan is expected to start in early February and run into early March in 2027, leaving December 2026 and January 2027 as the most obvious windows for the champion’s return.

The UFC’s marquee Madison Square Garden event takes place in November, but Makhachev is unlikely to rush his comeback simply to make that card. His recent schedule also suggests that a return toward the end of the year or early next year would be the right time for the Makhachkala native.

Last year, Islam Makhachev defeated Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January, before Ramadan began in February. Following that, he returned in November to face Jack Della Maddalena at MSG at UFC 322.

Makhachev had also mentioned at the UFC 330 post-fight press conference that he wanted to return before Ramadan. With the champion now reiterating that preference, the UFC has a clear window to work with, and several contenders who could potentially fill it.

One of them has already made his interest known.

Carlos Prates wants to fight Islam Makhachev before Ramadan

After Ian Garry failed to take the welterweight title from Makhachev, Carlos Prates has emerged as another potential threat to the champion. The Brazilian has established himself as one of the division’s most dangerous strikers, most recently beating two former champions, Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena, in back-to-back fights. His knockout power makes him an obvious name to consider for Makhachev’s next title defense.

For Prates, however, the bigger issue right now is getting a fight date. The Brazilian has been waiting for his next assignment, and he recently told fellow Brazilian and retired UFC veteran Gilbert Burns that he would be interested in sharing the Octagon with Makhachev before Ramadan.

Carlos Prates said it would be a “perfect” scenario if he could headline UFC 335, scheduled for December 12 in Las Vegas. He is also open to fighting the Dagestani in Australia in January, which would still put the matchup comfortably before Ramadan begins in February.

More than simply being willing to accept the fight, though, Prates believes his performance against Makhachev could look very different from Garry’s. After studying the champion’s latest title defense, the Brazilian came away even more confident that he has the tools to stop Makhachev’s dominant run.

“If he was able to get Makhachev off his back, I can do it too,” Prates told Burns. “I became even more confident. Based on the things I saw and the amount of time we have to train, I was like, ‘F—k, I think we can do this.’ I already thought so, and now I saw Ian Garry defend certain positions the same way I do, like the back against the cage. I do that a lot.”

Prates isn’t the only contender waiting for an opportunity, though. Michael Morales is also in the mix for a title shot, leaving the UFC with several options as it works out the welterweight division.

With Islam Makhachev targeting a return before Ramadan and Prates already expressing his willingness to fight during that window, the timing could line up perfectly for the two to meet. Whether the UFC chooses to make that matchup remains to be seen, but the champion’s latest injury update has at least given the promotion a clearer idea of when he expects to be back.