Athletes
Michael Morales | Championship Ready
Undefeated Contender Has A Simple Plan For VeChain UFC 322: Defeat Sean Brady, Then Call For A Shot At The Welterweight Title.
Ecuadorian welterweight contender Michael Morales may be one of the youngest athletes vying for a title shot in the crowded 170-pound division, but the undefeated 26-year-old says he’s ready to prove beyond any doubt that he’s ready for a shot at undisputed gold.
Morales takes on fellow contender Sean Brady in a mouth-watering clash at VeChain UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, and Morales has acknowledged the raised stakes ahead of his 19th professional fight.
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“It’s a very intense week, but so far so good,” he told UFC.com after checking in at the fighter hotel this week. “The job right now is to make weight. That's the one thing. It's the fight before the fight, and just that's what's remaining, you know? You make that weight and you go do your job.”
The job this weekend is a significantly difficult one. Brady has an 18-1 career record and comes into this weekend’s fight fresh off a dominant performance and late finish of former champion Leon Edwards in March.
The Philadelphia-native is widely considered to be the best grappler in the division, and he presents a clear danger to Morales’s undefeated record as well as his championship aspirations.
Morales is well-aware of what Brady brings to the table, but it’s exactly the sort of fight he’s been craving as he looks to fight his way to the front of the queue to fight for the 170-pound title next year.
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"I’ve always said this – I want a title. I want to be a champion, to have that belt, and that’s all I came for,” he stated. “I've always told people I came here to be among the top (fighters). I don't fear anybody at the top. I'll fight anybody, and it doesn't matter who it is, I'm ready to do my job and get the championship.
“I don't know what’s gonna happen on Saturday, or the way it’s gonna happen, but I know that I’m ready to be a champion.”
Fighting for a belt would mean the world to Morales, not just for the chance to capture the prestige of a UFC title, but also to help fly the flag for Ecuador on the biggest stage in the sport. It’s something he does every time he makes the walk to the Octagon as he proudly represents both his homeland of Ecuador and his adopted home of Mexico.
“(Ecuador is) home. It’s where I’m from. It’s where I’m very proud to represent as a place,” he explained. “And also Mexico, because Mexico will be with me. I will be carrying the flag of both places. These are the places that welcome me, and both of them have given me and gifted me so much to be where I am now.
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“I want, more than anything, for people to know about Ecuador. It’s a small country, but a country that has so many good fighters, and there's so many of them. Yes, right now we're four (in the UFC), but I want us to be 10 and be 20, and be even more and more… And now I've been hearing that the UFC is actually opening gyms in Ecuador. So there will be more fighters, and we'll be showing the talent that we have there, and I'm very proud of representing my country. And, above all, (I represent) not just my country, but my mom, who’s not just the one that I love, but also a figure in sports that has always been an inspiration to me.”
Throughout his sit-down interview, Morales’s responses revealed a singular focus. This fight is a job with a clear goal at the end of it, and he’s very clear on how he sees the night panning out.
“Knockout, first round,” he stated.
“I don't want my mom to get worried too much. I don't want people in Ecuador to be holding their breath. That's it. Do my job, get the win and leave there as soon as possible. And, as I said, quick, clean, elegant and graceful.”
And if he gets the win, expect a clear, decisive call for a title shot next. For Morales, it’s the only logical next step.
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“Challenge the champion, that's what I'm going to do,” he said.
“You get the win, you challenge the champion. You beat number two, and then you have number one fighting at the same time there, it's an optimal situation.
“I think that, in spite of the young age, I think I've done things and I've earned my spot, so that's what we're going to do – win that fight, and then we're challenging for the championship.”
VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev took place live from Madison Square Garden Arena in New York, New York on November 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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