{"id":471065,"date":"2026-02-10T17:49:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/471065\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T17:49:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:49:11","slug":"ufc-stars-aiming-for-title-shot-vs-islam-makhachev-tease-major-ufc-fight-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/471065\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC Stars Aiming for Title Shot vs. Islam Makhachev Tease Major UFC Fight News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"4x\">One of the UFC\u2019s top-ranked welterweight contenders has apparently already started camp for what will be his first fight of 2026.  <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"50\">Last year was a tumultuous time for the UFC\u2019s welterweight title, as the belt changed hands on three different occasions and now resided with former UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/islam-makhachev-reveals-timetable-for-first-ufc-welterweight-title-defense-in-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">unseated Jack Della Maddalena via unanimous decision<\/a> in his welterweight debut at UFC 322. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"53\">Several of the division\u2019s top contenders currently have strong cases for what would be their first cracks at UFC gold, including #2-ranked welterweight fighter Ian Machado Garry. <\/p>\n<p>Ian Machado Garry Reveals He&#8217;s Started Camp For Next UFC Fight<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"59\">After going 2-0 in 2025, Machado Garry recently took to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUiz7N_CKka\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram<\/a> to let fans know that he\u2019s officially started training camp for his next fight. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5g\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-heavyweight-star-jailton-almeida-surprise-return-alex-pereira-weight-class\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Heavyweight Star Reveals Surprise Return to Alex Pereira&#8217;s Weight Class<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5j\">A former Cage Warriors champion, Machado Garry joined the UFC in 2021 and collected eight wins over the next few years to bring his professional record to a perfect 15-0. \u201cThe Future\u201d stepped up for a short-notice opportunity to meet the also-unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, where he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-fans-stunned-ufc-mercilessly-pulls-injured-shavkat-rakhmonov-ufc-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">took Rakhmonov to the scorecards for the first time<\/a> but suffered a unanimous decision loss after five hard-fought rounds. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/01kh43e9fk7c88awd82n.jpg\" alt=\"Ian Machado Garry (left) and Carlos Prates (right) watch the fight between Benoit Saint-Denis (red gloves) and Mauricio Ruffy\" title=\"Ian Machado Garry (left) and Carlos Prates (right) watch the fight between Benoit Saint-Denis (red gloves) and Mauricio Ruffy\" width=\"6963\" height=\"4642\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"5t\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Ian Machado Garry (left) and Carlos Prates (right) watch the fight between Benoit Saint-Denis (red gloves) and Mauricio Ruffy (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Accor Arena. | Per Haljestam-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5x\">The Irishman rebounded by handing Carlos Prates his first UFC loss in a UFC Fight Night main event last April, and in his most recent outing Machado Garry took another decision over former UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad. <\/p>\n<p>Carlos Prates Also Teases UFC Fight News<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"63\">Another win would almost certainly secure Machado Garry a title shot, and interestingly enough his former opponent Prates also teased his own fight news after his fellow welterweight contender said he\u2019d started camp. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6a\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/kyoji-horiguchi-improbable-title-fight-latest-ufc-rankings-update\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Fan Favorite Nears Improbable Title Fight With Latest UFC Rankings Update<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6d\">There\u2019s no guarantee that the UFC is putting together a rematch between Machado Garry and Prates so soon after their first meeting, but the matchup would make a lot of sense given that the latter fighter currently sits at #5 in the welterweight rankings. After falling to the Irishman last April, \u201cThe Nightmare\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-319-welterweight-contender-makes-history-buzzer-beating-spinning-elbow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">rebounded with back-to-back knockouts <\/a>of Geoff Neal and former UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/01kh43fe7ev9atjs2ttp.jpg\" alt=\"Carlos Prates (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Leon Edwards (red gloves) in the welterweight bout during UFC 322 at Madis\" title=\"Carlos Prates (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Leon Edwards (red gloves) in the welterweight bout during UFC 322 at Madis\" width=\"4985\" height=\"3323\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6n\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Carlos Prates (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Leon Edwards (red gloves) in the welterweight bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6r\">Another likely option for either Machado Garry or Prates is #3-ranked Michael Morales, who boasts a 19-0 record and is coming off a first-round finish of another top welterweight contender in Sean Brady at UFC 322. <\/p>\n<p>More MMA Knockout News<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6x\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/former-pfl-ceo-pete-murray-reveals-new-sports-venture-away-from-mma-combat-sports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Former PFL CEO Pete Murray Reveals New Sports Venture Away From MMA, Combat Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"70\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-charles-johnson-shockingly-quick-turnaround-fight-ugly-knockout-loss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Fighter Books Shockingly Quick Turnaround Fight After Ugly Knockout Loss<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"73\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/champion-accepts-risky-fight-new-ufc-mexico-main-event-moreno-kavanagh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ex-UFC Champion Reportedly Accepts Risky Fight for New UFC Mexico Main Event<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-21\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"76\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-fans-stunned-ufc-mercilessly-pulls-injured-shavkat-rakhmonov-ufc-rankings\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MMA Fans Stunned as UFC Mercilessly Pulls Injured Star From Official UFC Rankings<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"79\">Stick with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMAKnockout<\/a>\u00a0for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7c\">Follow MMAKnockout on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MMAKnockoutSI\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/UFCKnockout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mmaknockoutsi\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One of the UFC\u2019s top-ranked welterweight contenders has apparently already started camp for what will be his first&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":471066,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,785,85],"class_list":["post-471065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-mma","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=471065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/471066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=471065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=471065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=471065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}