On Friday, Michael Morales weighed in as the back-up fighter for Islam Makhachev vs Ian Machado Garry, one day out from their UFC welterweight-title clash.
Makhachev will defend the belt against Machado Garry in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia, and both men weighed in successfully on Friday, meaning Morales will only be needed if a late injury or sickness strikes.
Like the Russian champion and his divisive Irish opponent, Morales tipped the scales at the welterweight limit of 170lb.
Morales is deemed one of the most-exciting prospects in the UFC, carrying a 19-0 record that includes 15 finishes (14 KO/TKOs, 1 submission).
Last time out, the Mexican stopped Sean Brady inside one round in November, having done the same to ex-title challenger Gilbert Burns last May.
Morales, 27, is seen by many fans as one of the next challengers to the throne at welterweight, alongside Carlos Prates, who is also known for his knockout power.
Makhachev’s title defence against Machado Garry is his first at welterweight, after he dominated Jack Della Maddalena to win the belt on points in November. Before that, Makhachev broke the record for most-successful title defences at lightweight, achieving four.
The 34-year-old vacated the lightweight belt before moving up to welterweight, but another record is in sight on Saturday; if Makhachev beats Machado Garry, he will have won a record-breaking 17 consecutive UFC fights.
Meanwhile, Machado Garry enters UFC 330 on the back of decision wins over Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad. Those victories saw the 28-year-old bounce back from his sole professional loss: a close decision defeat by Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024.
Like Machado Garry, Makhachev has lost just once at a pro, with that defeat occurring in 2015. He has since established himself as the UFC’s pound-for-pound No 1 fighter.
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