One of the most intimidating athletes in one of the best weight classes today, Michael Morales may be close to achieving his long-awaited title shot. This is because, according to the Ecuadorian, he has been chosen to fill the official reserve spot for the main event of UFC 330 , scheduled for August 15th, which features the title fight between Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry as the main attraction of the night.
Morales spoke about the matter in an interview with 'MMA Junkie' last Tuesday (28), he revealed that he had been informed that he will be in Philadelphia on the weekend of the event to occupy the official reserve position for the confrontation.
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“They told me I have to wait for the fight between Ian and Islam, and then I would be next. Now, they brought me in as a reserve in case one of them doesn't make weight or is unable to fight. If that happens, I'll step in. Either this title fight happens or I'll wait for another fight and then fight for the title. There's nothing left to do,” he stated.
🚨 Michael Morales will be the backup fighter for the Ian Garry vs Islam Makhachev fight 👀
"They told me I had to wait for the fight between Ian and Islam, and then I'd be next. Right now they've brought me in as the backup in case one of the two misses weight or isn't able to… pic.twitter.com/PssC5xkHRK
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 29, 2026
Carlos Prates could also compete for the belt.
Prates at the UFC press conference. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube/UFC
Undefeated with 19 wins at 27 years old, Morales is one of the best fighters in the division. He comes off a big win against Sean Brady and is ranked third in the welterweight division (up to 77,1 kg). In addition to him, Carlos Prates also stands out as one of the candidates to challenge for the title in the near future. The Brazilian, who has already been defeated by Ian Garry and is coming off three consecutive wins, is in first place.
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