UFC Seemingly Confirms Next Fight for Islam Makhachev With New UFC Rankings Update

Everything seems to be in place for Makhachev's first welterweight title defense.

Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

There was some notable movement with the latest update to the official UFC rankings, particularly in the welterweight division.

The UFC returned to Perth, Western Australia last Saturday for a UFC Fight Night card that saw Carlos Prates secure the biggest win of his career when he brutally stopped former UFC Welterweight Champion Jack Della Maddalena in the night’s main event.

That bout had serious implications for the title picture at 170 lbs., and several other fighters competing at UFC Perth also saw their stock rise following big wins.

Is Islam Makhachev's First Welterweight Title Defense Set?

Ranked at #5 heading into UFC Perth, Prates has moved up three spots in the welterweight Top 15 and is now the division’s #2-ranked fighter.

UFC fighters 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

Della Maddalena previously occupied the #1 spot and fell three places down to #4. The Australian was replaced by Ian Machado Garry, who previously held the #2 spot following back-to-back wins over Prates and former welterweight titleholder Belal Muhammad.

Islam Makhachev (blue gloves) fights Jack Della Maddalena (red gloves) in the welterweight championship bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The movement at the top of the welterweight rankings seems to confirm the recent reports that the UFC intends to have Machado Garry challenge Islam Makhachev for the division’s title, and the current expectation is that the fight will headline UFC 330 in Philadelphia, PA on August 15.

New Faces Debut in UFC Rankings After Big Wins at UFC Perth

Prates wasn’t the only fighter to secure the biggest win of his career at UFC Perth, as Quillan Salkilld also extended an unbeaten start to his UFC career when he knocked out top-ranked lightweight contender Beneil Dariush in the night’s co-main event.

Quillan Salkilld (red gloves) fights Yanal Ashmouz (blue gloves) during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The result gives Salkilld four finishes out of five UFC victories, and he’s now broken into the lightweight Top 15 at #12 after previously being unranked. Dariush fell two spots down to #14, and the longtime lightweight veteran has now been knocked out four times out of his last five Octagon
appearances.

Louie Sutherland (red gloves) fights Brando Pericic (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. | Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

Brando Peričić also debuts in the heavyweight rankings at #15 after knocking out Shamil Gaziev as part of the UFC Perth main card. That result markes Peričić's third stoppage-win out of as many UFC appearances.

Alexandre Pantoja (red gloves) fights against Steve Erceg (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. | Jason Silva-Imagn Images

The only other ranked action at UFC Perth was the flyweight matchup between former title challengers Steve Erceg and Tim Elliott. After getting his hand raised via unanimous decision, Erceg moved up two spots to #10 in the flyweight rankings, while Elliott fell one place to #12.