Multiple world-class welterweights are lining up to face Islam Makhachev after his victory over Ian Garry on Saturday night.Makhachev eked past Garry via unanimous decision to defend his 170lbs for the first time at UFC 330 in Las Vegas.Makhachev had to dig deep to beat Garry on Saturday nightGettyThe champion decked Garry with a head kick in the second round and landed seven of his 15 takedowns, but struggled to pin down the slippery Irishman.Garry had plenty of success on the feet in rounds three and four before Makhachev rallied in the fifth and final frame to secure the victory and surpass Anderson Silva for the longest win streak in UFC history (17).Makhachev is now hoping to return to the Octagon either at the back end of the year or in January, with Carlos Prates at the top of his hit list.“Honestly, if you ask me today, Shavkat [Rakhmonov] is not fighting; Prates is still fighting, still active,” Makhachev told the UFC panel post-fight.“So maybe Prates, [Michael] Morales is also good.“But I don’t remember the last time he fought.“If you ask who is the most deserving guy, I think it is Carlos Prates.”Who are the most likely opponents for Islam Makhachev’s next fight?Carlos Prates is currently ranked one place above Garry in the welterweight rankings at No.1, despite convincingly losing to him last year.The Brazilian has since rebounded to win three consecutive fights inside the distance over heavy-handed contender Geoff Neal and former 170lbs champions Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena.Before Prates’ surge through the ranks, Shavkat Rakhmonov had established himself as the next best guy in the division by beating Garry in a title eliminator in December 2024.Makhachev believes Prates is the most deserving of a world title shotGettyThe Uzbek punched his ticket for a shot at then-champion Belal Muhammad, but he was unable to compete for the title due to a serious knee injury.Rakhmonov has been sidelined ever since and isn’t expected to be cleared to fight again early next year. While Rakhmonov had been promised a shot at the title upon his return, he may have to fight his way back to the top of the welterweight mountain after being removed from the rankings due to inactivity.If that is to be the case, then a bout with No.3-ranked Michael Moraes may be the quickest route to a world title.Moraes blasted away Sean Brady inside the opening stanza last November to establish himself as a serious player in the weight class.The exciting Ecuadorian also made weight as the backup fighter for Saturday’s main event.UFC Meta RankingsThe UFC ranking system is ever-evolving and is now more different than ever.Right up until the summer of 2026, the UFC used its official rankings based on media votes.However, as of June 22, 2026, the UFC began transitioning away from the traditional media panel to new AI-based rankings in partnership with Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta.The new rankings will be automatically calculated and updated every Monday following official events.And talkSPORT.com have made it easy for MMA fans to stay up to date with the new system through a full and regularly updated UFC Meta Rankings list, including stars from the heavyweight and lightweight divisions.