UFC 336 Adds Prates-Morales Interim Title Fight

Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will fight for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336 in Toronto on January 30, 2027, while Joshua Van defends his flyweight belt against Manel Kape in the main event.

Prates and Morales Set for Interim Title

The UFC announced the two title fights during Saturday’s UFC 336 broadcast. Prates had been linked to a welterweight title defense by undisputed champion Islam Makhachev, but promotion officials said Makhachev recently told them he could not make the January date. The interim title fight will instead pair Prates, 24-7, with undefeated Morales, 19-0.

Prates has won three consecutive fights, earning a Performance of the Night bonus in each. His recent run includes wins over former champions Jack Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards. Morales has not fought since beating Sean Brady in November 2025. He also has Performance of the Night bonuses in each of his last three fights.

Van vs. Kape to Headline UFC 336

Van will make his next flyweight title defense against Kape, who has long pursued a UFC title shot. Van first won the belt from Alexandre Pantoja in late 2025, after Pantoja went down early with an arm injury. Van later defended against Tatsuro Taira and beat Pantoja for a second time, putting doubts about the initial result to rest.

Kape, a former RIZIN star, enters on a four-fight winning streak. His latest victory was a stoppage of Kyoji Horiguchi in June, and he has earned Performance of the Night bonuses in each of his last three bouts.

UFC 336 is scheduled for January 30, 2027, at ScotiaBank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Van vs. Kape will headline the event, with Prates vs. Morales set for the interim welterweight title.