Islam Makhachev’s UFC 336 withdrawal removes a control-heavy champion from the betting equation

Islam Makhachev is out of UFC 336, stripping the first numbered card of 2027 of the welterweight champion and the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Bloody Elbow reported that the event is scheduled for Jan. Bloody Elbow reported that Makhachev was scheduled to headline on January 30 in Toronto and that an interim welterweight title fight was announced after his withdrawal.

The reason for the withdrawal is not included in the available report. Neither are the interim participants. Those omissions matter more to bettors than the title designation itself: there is no replacement matchup to break down, and the mechanics of the new fight will depend entirely on who fills the vacant sides.

What can be measured is the profile UFC 336 just lost. Makhachev does not merely bring championship status to a card. He brings a specific combination of takedown efficiency, control and defensive restraint that shapes totals, distance markets and round-level props.

UFC 336 loses a distinct pace-and-control profile

Makhachev’s career numbers show why swapping him out is not a neutral change. He lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute and absorbs only 1.42, with 61 percent striking defense. The low absorbed volume is paired with 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes, 54 percent takedown accuracy and 91 percent takedown defense.

Across 19 archived bouts and 50 rounds with detailed data, he has landed 48 takedowns and accumulated 114 minutes of control. He also has 13 submission attempts. That is a fight-shaping profile: he can suppress exchanges without depending on a quick finish, and opponents often have to spend substantial portions of rounds defending positions rather than producing offense.