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Islam Makhachev Sends Stern Warning to Carlos Prates

The welterweight division faces uncertainty after Islam Makhachev withdrew from his scheduled UFC 336 main event against Carlos Prates in Toronto. Following the cancellation, the promotion arranged for Prates to face Michael Morales for an interim championship.

Makhachev publicly dismissed Prates' social media criticism, citing his own recent victory over Ian Machado Garry as proof of his superior standing and warning the contender to focus on his training. The UFC's decision to implement an interim title bout remains unusual given Makhachev's successful title defense against Machado Garry at UFC 330 this past August.

Future developments depend on the outcome of the Prates-Morales matchup and the status of Makhachev's relationship with the organization.

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