Dana White on Islam Makhachev: I Don't Expect the Champion to Fight Three Times a Year, but Twice Would Be Great

Pulse Sports Team 10:32 - 05 November 2026

UFC CEO Dana White has voiced his desire to see pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev maintain a slightly higher level of activity inside the Octagon.

During UFC 333, the promotion announced that the welterweight champion would not be defending his belt against Carlos Prates at UFC 336 in January. Instead, Prates is set to face Michael Morales for the interim title, with Makhachev planning to return to the cage only after the holy month of Ramadan.

When the interim title bout was initially announced, White appeared somewhat frustrated with his top-ranked fighter. Speaking in an interview with The Mac Life, the UFC boss shed further light on the situation.

"Yeah, we had a verbal agreement," the UFC boss said. "Right when I told you guys back then, that's when he backed out. I think when you get to his level and you've accomplished so much, nobody really knows what's going through your head and what you want to do next. But obviously, I love it when guys are active. As a champion, I don't necessarily expect you to fight three times a year, but twice would be great. Otherwise, the division starts to get backed up, and there are a lot of guys waiting for their shot at the title," White added.

Following the announcement, Makhachev made several public comments, initially suggesting that Prates still had more to prove, before later hinting at a possible retirement in the near future. According to White, however, the main factor driving the Dagestani's decisions is financial.

"It all comes down to money," White explained. "When guys are young and hungry, they want to jump in the Octagon constantly to earn. But once you make plenty of money, you don't need to fight all the time anymore. And in all fairness to Islam—just look at what he's accomplished."

Makhachev currently tops the pound-for-pound rankings and is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters of his generation. He is the 11th two-division champion in UFC history and just the fourth fighter to successfully defend titles in two separate weight classes. Since making his promotional debut in 2015, he has compiled an 18-1 record, including two victories over the past year—defending his lightweight strap at UFC 311 and capturing the welterweight championship at UFC 322.

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