UFC 336: Carlos Prates vs Michael Morales and Joshua Van vs Manel Kape confirmed

Two championship fights have been announced for UFC 336 in Toronto, with Carlos Prates set to face Michael Morales for the interim welterweight title and Joshua Van defending his flyweight championship against Manel Kape.

The event takes place on January 30, 2027, at the Scotiabank Arena in Canada, with both matchups confirmed during Saturday's UFC 333 broadcast in Abu Dhabi.

The announcement follows the news that reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev will not compete at the event, having previously been linked with a title defence against Prates.

The proposed bout was never officially announced, and the reason for Makhachev's absence remains unclear.

Carlos Prates has emerged as one of the welterweight division's leading contenders following three consecutive knockout victories over Geoff Neal, former champion Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena.

The Brazilian's impressive UFC run has put him firmly in the world title conversation, but with reigning champion Islam Makhachev unavailable, he will instead face unbeaten Ecuadorian Michael Morales for the interim championship.

Morales (19-0) has established himself as one of the division's most dangerous finishers, most recently stopping Sean Brady in the opening round.

The Ecuadorian will be returning from an extended spell outside the Octagon, having not competed for more than a year by the time UFC 336 takes place.

Both fighters have built reputations around their knockout power, making this an intriguing matchup between two of the welterweight division's most dangerous strikers.

Joshua Van will make his third defence of the UFC flyweight championship when he faces Manel Kape in Toronto.

The 25-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable rise through the division, remaining unbeaten since July 2024 and recording eight consecutive victories.

Van captured the championship against Alexandre Pantoja before successfully defending it against Tatsuro Taira.

He then defeated Pantoja for a second time in their rematch at UFC 331, further establishing himself at the top of the flyweight division.

Standing in his way is Kape, who has earned his title opportunity with five consecutive victories, including four straight knockouts.

The Portuguese contender has stopped Bruno Silva, Asu Almabayev, Brandon Royval and most recently Kyoji Horiguchi, strengthening his claim to a shot at UFC gold.

Currently ranked second in the division, Kape will now look to end Van's unbeaten run and capture his first UFC championship.

The pair have been linked with a potential meeting for several months, with Kape previously expressing confidence that he would dethrone Van.