Michael Morales (fighter)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Morales and the second or maternal family name is Hurtado.

Michael Morales
Born	Michael Jonathan Morales Hurtado[1] (1999-06-24) June 24, 1999 (age 25) Pasaje, El Oro, Ecuador
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg)
Division	Welterweight
Reach	79 in (201 cm)[2]
Fighting out of	Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Team	Xtreme Fitness Machala Entram Gym
Years active	2017–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	17
Wins	17
By knockout	12
By submission	1
By decision	4
Losses	0
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Michael Jonathan Morales Hurtado (born June 24, 1999) is an Ecuadorian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of August 27, 2024, he is #12 in the UFC welterweight rankings.[3]

Background

Michael Morales was born in 1999 in Pasaje, El Oro, Ecuador. He is the son of judokas, a discipline he has been practicing since he was five years old, where his mother was his first coach. At the age of 10, he switched from judo to wrestling, where he won several youth tournaments. At the age of 14, his father took him to Víctor Vallejo's academy in Machala, where he began to practice mixed martial arts.[4]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

While fully focusing on MMA, he juggled a job at a naval boat factory.[4]

In 2021, he began his journey through Mexico, arriving in Tijuana to train at Entram Gym.[5] On March 29, 2021, he signed a contract with Ultimate Warrior Challenge (UWC).[6]

Dana White's Contender Series

On September 21, 2021, Morales faced Nikolay Veretennikov for a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series: Season 5, Week 4. Morales earned the contract by defeating Veretennikov via unanimous decision.[7]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Morales made his UFC debut against Trevin Giles on January 22, 2022, at UFC 270.[8] He won the fight via TKO in the first round.[9]

Morales was scheduled to face Ramiz Brahimaj at UFC 277 on July 30, 2022.[10] However, Brahimaj was forced to withdraw from the event in mid-July due to an undisclosed injury[11] and was replaced by Adam Fugitt.[12] Morales won the fight via TKO in the third round.[13]

Morales was scheduled to face Rinat Fakhretdinov on December 17, 2022, at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland.[14] However, Morales withdrew due to a toe fracture.[15]

Morales faced Max Griffin on July 1, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 48.[16] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[17]

Morales faced Jake Matthews on November 18, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 232.[18] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[19]

Morales faced Neil Magny on August 24, 2024 at UFC on ESPN 62.[20] He won the fight by technical knockout in the first round.[21] This fight earned him a Performance of the Night award.[22]

Morales is scheduled to face former UFC Welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns on April 12, 2025, at UFC 314.[23]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

• Oro Fighting Championship
  • OFC Welterweight Champion (One time)
• Extreme MMA Enterprises
  • EMMA Welterweight Champion (One time)

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Neil Magny[22]
  • UFC.com Awards
    • 2022: Ranked #8 Newcomer of the Year[24]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

17 matches	17 wins	0 losses
By knockout	12	0
By submission	1	0
By decision	4	0

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	17–0	Neil Magny	TKO (punches)	UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Borralho	August 24, 2024	1	4:39	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	Performance of the Night.
Win	16–0	Jake Matthews	Decision (unanimous)	UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig	November 18, 2023	3	5:00	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	15–0	Max Griffin	Decision (unanimous)	UFC on ESPN: Strickland vs. Magomedov	July 1, 2023	3	5:00	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	14–0	Adam Fugitt	TKO (punches)	UFC 277	July 30, 2022	3	1:09	Dallas, Texas, United States
Win	13–0	Trevin Giles	TKO (punches)	UFC 270	January 22, 2022	1	4:06	Anaheim, California, United States
Win	12–0	Nikolay Veretennikov	Decision (unanimous)	Dana White's Contender Series 40	September 21, 2021	3	5:00	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	11–0	Miguel Arizmendi	TKO (punches)	UWC 26	April 30, 2021	2	4:02	Tijuana, Mexico
Win	10–0	Ricardo Centeno	KO (punch)	EMMA 17	October 3, 2020	1	4:45	Quito, Ecuador	Won the vacant EMMA Welterweight Championship
Win	9–0	Daniel Luigy Bastidas	TKO (doctor stoppage)	EMMA 16	August 1, 2020	1	2:01	Guayaquil, Ecuador
Win	8–0	Mario Navarrete	TKO (punches)	Barbarian's Fighting League 5	February 12, 2020	2	2:45	Machala, Ecuador
Win	7–0	Gregoris Cisneros	Submission (triangle choke)	Barbarian's Fighting League 4	December 14, 2019	1	1:58	Cuenca, Ecuador
Win	6–0	Erick Zambrano	TKO (punches)	Pasaje Combat 1	November 8, 2019	1	1:55	Pasaje, Ecuador	Return to Welterweight.
Win	5–0	Mathias Salazar	TKO (punches)	Manaba Top Team 2	September 6, 2019	1	1:40	El Guabo, Ecuador
Win	4–0	Óscar Ravello	TKO (corner stoppage)	FFC 39	July 17, 2019	2	5:00	Lima, Peru	Welterweight bout.
Win	3–0	Leonardo Blasco	Decision (unanimous)	TFC 2	December 8, 2018	3	5:00	La Troncal, Ecuador	Lightweight debut.
Win	2–0	Álvaro Vacacela Guerrero	TKO (doctor stoppage)	OFC 5	March 24, 2018	1	5:00	Santa Rosa, Ecuador	Won the OFC Welterweight Championship.
Win	1–0	Álvaro Vacacela Guerrero	TKO (punches)	OFC 4	August 19, 2017	2	3:15	Pasaje, Ecuador	Welterweight debut.

[25]

See also

• List of current UFC fighters
• List of male mixed martial artists
• List of undefeated mixed martial artists

References

1. "Pan-Am Championships 2019 - Juniors". FloWrestling. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
2. "Michael Morales". Tapology.
3. "UFC Rankings | UFC.com". www.ufc.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
4. "Michael Morales: "Empecé a practicar artes marciales mixtas por curiosidad"". primicias.ec. 2022-02-20.
5. "Michael Morales: ¿Quién es la nueva promesa ecuatoriana que hace historia en la UFC?". vistazo.com. 2023-10-20.
6. "Michael Morales debutará el 22 de enero en la cartelera estelar de la UFC". primicias.ec. 2022-01-09.
7. "Michael Morales gana y consigue el contrato para pelear en la UFC". primicias.ec. 2021-09-21.
8. Dorff, Marcel (2021-10-12). "Michael Morales treft Trevin Giles tijdens UFC 270 op 22 januari". MMA DNA. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
9. Anderson, Jay (2022-01-22). "UFC 270: Michael Morales Stays Perfect with TKO Finish of Trevin Giles". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
10. Steve Duncan (2022-05-11). "Michael Morales vs. Ramiz Brahimaj added to UFC 277". mma.uno. Retrieved 2022-07-20. (in Spanish)
11. Nolan King (2022-07-18). "UFC 277 hit with multitude of withdrawals. Here's where the card stands less than two weeks away". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
12. Steve Duncan (2022-07-21). "With Brahimaj injured, Adam Fugitt faces Michael Morales at UFC 277". mma.uno. Retrieved 2022-07-21. (in Spanish)
13. "Michael Morales derrota a Adam Fugitt por nocaut y mantiene su invicto". primicias.ec. 2022-07-30.
14. Nolan King (2022-10-03). "Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Sept. 26-Oct. 2)". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
15. Danny Segura (2022-11-30). "Unbeaten Michael Morales injured, out of UFC Fight Night 216 vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
16. "Fuentes: UFC pacta Morales-Griffin en julio". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
17. "UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Magomedov Results | Winner Interviews, Highlights And More From Las Vegas". www.ufcespanol.com (in Spanish). 2023-07-01. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
18. ITN News Desk (2023-09-22). "Michael Morales vs Jake Matthews Reported at UFC November 18". www.itnwwe.com. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
19. Anderson, Jay (2023-11-19). "Michael Morales Stays Undefeated, Bests Jake Matthews at UFC Vegas 82". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
20. Danny Segura (2024-07-04). "Michael Morales vs. Neil Magny verbally agreed for UFC's Aug. 24 Fight Night". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
21. Jay Anderson (2024-08-24). "UFC Vegas 96: Michael Morales Stays Perfect, Smashes Neil Magny". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
22. Chris Taylor (2024-08-24). "UFC Vegas 96 Bonus Report: Michael Morales one of four fighters to take home $50k". bjpenn.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
23. "Report - Gilbert Burns Books Return Fight Against Unbeaten KO Star At UFC 314 In Miami". www.lowkickmma.com. 2025-01-09. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
24. Thomas Gerbasi (December 20, 2022). "The Newcomers - 2022 UFC.com Awards". Ultimate Fighting Championship.
25. Sherdog.com. "Michael Morales". Sherdog. Retrieved 2022-11-20.

External links

• Michael Morales at UFC
• Professional MMA record for Michael Morales from Sherdog