Michael Morales: The Time Is Now

“I think it’s because of the weird style that I have,” Morales said. “My fighting is just very unorthodox for [my opponents], so they can’t anticipate that. Also, because I pay a lot of attention to the other fighter. I have this in me. I see how he’s breathing, how he’s coming on, how he’s feeling during the fight. I keep analyzing and studying like that.”

That weird style was recognized by newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, who invited Morales to his training camp in preparation for his fight against Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

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“Actually, Belal hit me up on Instagram,” Morales said. “The camp had gotten in touch with some of my teammates, as well. First, it was my coach that got in touch with me, then it was him directly that got in touch with me. So, I got an opportunity to be the secret weapon. I think mostly for the wrestling, that’s why he got me, and also because of my hands. I got that unorthodox style, and I think I was able to prepare him for Leon. We hit each other pretty hard; we went at it. We were just measuring strengths out there. I learned so much from him, and Belal, he’s a guy that learns all the time, as well, and I learned a lot from him, so, I’m happy to have helped [his] camp.”

He then returned to his own training camp, where he prepared for his next test, a main card clash against veteran Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Borralho this Saturday. For the third straight fight, Morales will be competing at UFC APEX, a venue he’s quickly come to cherish for its intimate atmosphere.

While he has the usual number of coaches in his corner, Morales benefits from the additional support of his mother, who sits a few feet back in the stands. She not only offers words of encouragement, but also provides technical advice during the fights—advice that Morales listens to.

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“You know, I kind of feel at home at the APEX now because I can hear all the corners and think of my mom,” Morales said. “This is a habit: I always think of my mom just yelling at me during all my competitions every time I was fighting.

“She’s just basically yelling. Telling me, ‘Hit ‘em like this, hit ‘em like that,’ or more like, ‘Come on, let’s go.’ Mostly, she gets emotional. She’s very passionate about the sport and she [knows] a lot of technique. She tells me stuff to do to my opponent, and the funny thing is, I listen to her. I actually end up doing what she’s telling me. It’s interesting because I have this blessing. Thank God I have her because it taught me and got me into listening to my coaches.”

All their support will be crucial on Saturday when Morales faces off against No. 13 ranked welterweight Magny, who recently pulled off a come-from-behind victory against Mike Malott. Like Morales, Malott was riding an impressive win streak into that fight and found success early, but Magny’s experience proved vital in the third round. Magny quickly turned the tide and secured a TKO with just 15 seconds left.

Now five fights into his UFC career, Morales believes it's the perfect moment to take this step up in competition and begin climbing the ranks of an increasingly competitive 170-pound division.

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“It was the right time to do it,” Morales said. “It was perfect timing. It was time for me to fight; I think it’s been almost a year since [my last] fight. I’m ready for it.

“I have a lot to show. Neil Magny is very experienced; he has a great journey in the UFC, and he’s going to fight for his right to continue [fighting] in this organization. I want to be crowned a champion one day and I’m going to fight for that. It’s a good fight because we’re both going to show what we came for.”