Islam Makhachev signals retirement is near and targets Prates-Morales winner

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has indicated that he is approaching the end of his fighting career, saying his next appearance will be among his last. According to BBC Sport, the 35-year-old Russian wants to face the winner of Carlos Prates against Michael Morales as he seeks to demonstrate that he remains the world's best fighter.

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Makhachev's comments stop short of identifying his next contest as a farewell fight. Instead, he linked his plans to a meeting between two contenders who are due to compete for the interim welterweight championship at UFC 336 on 30 January. He said he wanted to take on the better of the pair in response to suggestions that either could present too difficult a challenge.

The champion most recently defeated Ian Machado Garry in August to retain his welterweight belt. That result gave him a 17th consecutive UFC victory, surpassing Anderson Silva's record for the longest winning streak in the promotion's history. BBC Sport reported that Silva's benchmark had stood for 13 years before Makhachev's successful title defence established a new mark.

UFC president Dana White said Makhachev had initially been scheduled to defend against Prates in January, but chose to wait until after Ramadan in March. White said his concern about the division being delayed led him to arrange an interim championship contest between Prates and Morales. Makhachev subsequently said their meeting would establish which challenger deserved the opportunity to face him.

Both potential opponents enter that contest with successful recent records. Brazil's Prates, 33, has stopped each of his last three opponents by knockout. Ecuador's Morales, 27, is unbeaten across 19 professional fights. Makhachev has expressed a desire to meet the winner rather than naming one of them as his preferred opponent for the next defence of his championship.

A former UFC lightweight champion as well as the current welterweight titleholder, Makhachev has won 29 of his 30 professional bouts. In August, White said he was progressing towards consideration as the greatest fighter in UFC history. His latest remarks place that record alongside the prospect of retirement, while leaving open precisely how many more fights he intends to undertake.