Michael Morales says he has already agreed to his next bout, targeted for January against a "very tough opponent" who is neither Carlos Prates nor Ian Machado Garry. Morales called it his last fight before a title shot and said he expects to fight for the belt in June. The announcement leaves Prates as the consensus favorite to face Islam Makhachev next, as the champion looks to return in the coming months before a break for Ramadan.
Michael Morales says he has already agreed to his next fight, with the bout targeted for January against what he described as a "very tough opponent." The story is based on Morales's own comments and has not been officially confirmed by the UFC.
According to Morales, the opponent is neither Carlos Prates nor Ian Machado Garry. He called the January fight his last before a title shot and said he expects to compete for the belt in June.
The champion's timeline
The comments come as Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion, looks to return in the coming months before taking a break for Ramadan. Makhachev, 34, is 29-1 and fights out of Eagles MMA. The Russian southpaw lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, and averages 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Morales's remarks also leave Prates as the consensus favorite to face Makhachev next. Prates, 33, is ranked second at welterweight with a 24-7 record. The Brazilian from Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Machado Garry holds the top spot in the welterweight rankings. The 28-year-old is 17-2 and lands 4.29 significant strikes per minute, the highest volume of the three fighters mentioned here. He stands six-foot-three with a 74-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Morales says he expects a title shot in June, which would follow the January fight he says he has agreed to.
- Prates, the number two contender, remains the expected next challenger for Makhachev.
- Machado Garry, the top-ranked contender, is not Morales's January opponent, according to Morales.
The identity of Morales's January opponent has not been revealed. Neither the UFC nor any opponent has confirmed the matchup.
