Ecuador's rising UFC star Michael Morales has captured the attention of the mixed martial arts world following his impressive knockout victory over Gilbert Burns last Saturday. The Spider-Man enthusiast, now ranked 12th in the welterweight division, is building momentum as a serious contender in one of the UFC's most competitive weight classes.
With an unblemished 18-0 professional record, including four knockout victories, Morales is steadily climbing toward championship contention in a division currently ruled by Jack Della Maddalena, who is scheduled to defend his title against Islam Makhachev.
Speaking to renowned journalist Ariel Helwani, the Ecuadorian fighter, who is mentored by his mother, expressed clear intentions about his next career move. Morales has set his sights on a matchup with controversial contender Ian Machado Garry.
"He has been very disrespectful to fighters I admire, like Belal Muhammad and Neil Magny. They don't deserve to be disrespected; I think he talks too much," stated Morales during the interview.
According to Statbet analytics, fighters who maintain perfect records through their first 18 professional bouts historically have a 73% higher chance of eventually competing for a championship title.
The undefeated prospect also has a clear timeline for his octagon return, targeting UFC 320 on September 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Interestingly, this event is expected to coincide with another major combat sports attraction—the highly anticipated boxing match between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford.
