Michael Morales Calls Out UFC Welterweight Division, Teases Shavkat Rakhmonov Fight in 2027
Michael Morales is coming for everyone. The welterweight division has been on fire for years, and things have only gotten more interesting now that Islam Makhachev is sitting on top of the mountain. His win over Ian Garry at UFC 330 moved him past Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in UFC history, but there are plenty of contenders waiting for their shot.
Morales was the backup fighter for UFC 330, and while Carlos Prates appears to be next in line, the 19-0 Ecuadorian has started making plenty of noise himself. He recently revealed messages between himself and Garry about potentially fighting in November.
Morales shared screenshots of their conversation on social media. Garry claimed he had been told Morales was unavailable to fight in 2026, but Morales quickly shut that down and made it clear he was ready whenever Garry was.
However, Morales has since revealed that he already has a fight booked for January, although neither Garry nor Prates will be standing across from him.
Michael Morales reveals he has a fight set for January, and it’s not against Carlos Prates or Ian Garry
“We were pushing to see if we could fight in December, but it looks like the fight will be in January instead. Against a very tough opponent. It’s neither Prates nor Ian Garry. Neither wants to fight.
We accepted the January fight, which is my last fight before a title shot. We need to win that fight, and then we’ll fight for the title in June, God willing.”
(via @juanfranrueda_)
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 3, 2026
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During a recent presser, he said, “As for my fights, I already have one lined up. I was in Vegas discussing it because they hadn’t given me a fight for a whole year. We were pushing to see if we could fight in December, but it looks like the fight will be in January instead against a very tough opponent.”
He added, “It’s neither Carlos Prates nor Ian Machado Garry. Neither wants to fight… We accepted the January fight, which is my last fight before a title shot. We need to win that fight, and then we’ll fight for the title in June, God willing.”
Now, Morales has turned his attention toward another undefeated welterweight and delivered a surprise callout of Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Michael Morales Sends Message to Islam Makhachev, Carlos Prates, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry
In a new hype video uploaded to his Instagram account, Morales addressed the entire 170-pound division while discussing his future. He said, Islam, since you came to my division and took the belt, I have been asking for the fight; you know who I am. About Prates and me, you said, ‘Let them fight. Alright, I respect that. But after that, no more excuses.’”
He added, “You and me for the belt. Prates, you said the UFC never offered you the fight with me. You said you will knock me out in the first round; perfect, bro, let’s do it. You want the belt, I want the belt, let’s find out who’s next. But if you guys have different plans, Islam, if you prefer Prates because you prefer an easier fighter, I have (my fight) for 2027.”
Morales then brought up Rakhmonov, calling the Kazakh the “final boss” of the welterweight division. Whether he was actually hinting at a 2027 matchup with Rakhmonov or simply hyping up another undefeated contender remains unclear.
Morales added, “The final boss of this division, Shavkat Rakhmonov. You know where to find me. Oh, I almost forgot, f**k Ian Garry.”
(@miichaelufc)For the unversed, Morales last fought at UFC 322, where he knocked out Sean Brady. That was also the night Makhachev dethroned Jack Della Maddalena to become the welterweight champion. Rakhmonov, meanwhile, has had a frustrating couple of years.
The Kazakh has not fought since December 2024, when he beat Garry at UFC 310 via unanimous decision. During that fight, ‘The Nomad’ suffered a serious knee injury that has kept him on the sidelines ever since, with the issue continuing to bother him.
Previous reports suggested that fans might not see Rakhmonov back inside the Octagon during 2026. However, if he can finally return in 2027, a showdown with Morales could be one of the most intriguing fights the UFC could make.
And if Morales really does have Rakhmonov in his sights, the matchup could have huge implications for the welterweight title picture. The winner could potentially position himself as the next challenger for the winner of Makhachev vs. Prates.
