Monthly Report | August 2024

His 16-0 record put him in between Shavkat Rakhmonov (18) and Ian Machado Garry (15) in terms of consecutive victories without a setback to start their careers, but while those two had already propelled themselves into title contention, Morales was still looking to break into the Top 15.

And then he promptly forced his way into the mix with a mesmerizing first-round stoppage win over Magny.

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The course of the fight shifted dramatically just beyond the halfway point of the opening round, as Morales exited a clinch situation along the fence, where Magny held onto a waist lock by clocking the divisional stalwart with a spinning back elbow he never anticipated. The blow sent Magny staggering away, and when he fell to the canvas, Morales pounced, eventually working his way into mount and earning the stoppage amidst a torrent of unanswered blows.

This was the kind of effort that should make everyone sit up and take notice of the unbeaten ascending talent, as Magny has long served as the litmus test for up-and-coming fighters looking to break into the Top 15, and none of them have dispatched him in the manner Morales did in Las Vegas.

Rakhmonov submitted him in the second round. Machado Garry outpointed him over three rounds. Geoff Neal, Phil Rowe, and Mike Malott all failed to pass the test.

While every fight (and fighter) is different, we know what it means to get past Magny, and for Morales to do it in such devastating fashion, creating an opportunity to finish with such a well-timed, unexpected attack shows the level of creativity and talent he brings to the Octagon, and those traits will only continue to serve him well as he continues gaining more experience and growing as a fighter. And the fact that Rakhmonov, Machado Garry, and Jack Della Maddalena are all ahead of him in the pecking order at the moment should serve also serve him well, as it could afford him the opportunity to continue matriculating up the divisional ranks one step at a time.

Of course, if he keeps settling skilled opponents the way he did Magny, that might not be an option for long.

Honorable Mentions: Stephanie Luciano, Youssef Zalal, Jack Jenkins, Jesus Aguilar, Wang Cong

Submission of the Month: Youssef Zalal submits Jarno Errens (UFC Vegas 95)

In terms of technique and degree of difficulty, there was nothing particularly eye-popping about the way Zalal finished Errens on the first of August’s two fight cards at the UFC APEX — he simply hopped on his back as soon as the opportunity presented itself, worked to secure the position, and laced up a rear-naked choke, squeezing out the tap just ahead of the four-minute mark of the opening round.

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But it lands as this month’s top submission because it creates an opportunity to talk about the 27-year-old featherweight, who has returned to the UFC with a vengeance this year, earning a pair of stoppage wins to once again stand as a person of interest in the 145-pound weight class.

Zalal is what fantasy sports diehards would call a “post-hype sleeper” — someone that was a highly regarded prospect early in their careers, faltered, but has since returned to garner a little buzz again and show some promise.

I think it describes the Factory X man to a tee.

Prior to last Saturday’s final event of the month, there had been exactly one knockout or technical knockout stoppage in the women’s flyweight division in 2024, and it came all the way back at the start of February, when Luana Carolina, who missed the divisional limit by two pounds, stopped Julija Stoliarenko in the waning moments of their fight in Las Vegas.

Sixteen of the 19 bouts that had taken place in the 125-pound weight class had gone the distance, which is precisely why Wang’s punishing one-two knockout of Leonardo earns top honors this month.

We talk all the time about “fight-changing power” and “fight-ending power,” but we don’t always contextualize it properly or really lean into where it can truly be the biggest difference-maker.

It’s not at heavyweight, where just about everyone carries some thunder in their hands and most accept that one big shot either way can swing a fight. Where it really rates and becomes most important and dangerous is in the lighter weight classes, where fewer athletes brandish legitimate fight-ending power and the ability to land it routinely.

While this was Wang’s first appearance in the Octagon, the smoothness and precision with which she delivered the fight-ending two-piece was scary, and should instantly transform her into a person of interest in the flyweight division, because no one in the division has shown that kind of knockout power this year, or in recent years, for that matter.

There is no way to not be excited about the 32-year-old UFC newcomer who started her year by defeating UFC vet Wu Yanan, followed it up with a first-round submission win in her Road to UFC showcase bout, and then halted Leonardo in 62 seconds to begin her time in the Octagon.

If Wang can continue exhibiting that kind of power and precision, she’ll quickly become a threat in the 125-pound weight class because no else seems to have that kind of dynamite in their hands.

Honorable Mentions: Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener, Azamat Murzakanov vs. Alonzo Menifield, Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns, Carlos Prates vs. Li Jingliang, Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg

Fight of the Month: Dan Hooker vs. Mateusz Gamrot (UFC 305)