Michael Morales pitches potential title eliminator matchup at 170 pounds

Even after the dramatic happenings of the UFC Perth headliner, there remains a logjam in the welterweight title picture. In an effort to separate himself from the crowded pack of contenders at 170 pounds, Prates annihilated former champ Jack Della Maddalena in the third round of a fairly one-sided beating. “The Nightmare” dropped the Aussie once in the second round and twice in the third to complete his rout, one that saw him outland his foe by 46 to 1 in the last round of their collision.

The victor wants nothing else than a Ultimate Fighting Championship championship pairing, but he might have to wait. Rumors are swirling, with Prates the originator of at least one, that Ian Garry will be challenging Islam Makhachev for the belt at UFC 330 in August. Additional options for contention include Michael Morales , Sean Brady , Ilia Topuria should he get past Justin Gaethje in June.

Kamaru Usman was even floated as a potential option to face Makhachev next. While Morales (19-0) considered himself in the race until recently, he has seemingly accepted that Garry may be ahead of him in line. Posting on his Instagram Stories on Sunday, the undefeated Ecuadorian shared a composite matchup image of himself against Prates.

Not everyone is sold on that pairing, chiefly Prates himself. Saying so at the UFC Perth post-fight press conference, Prates remarked that when not preparing for a fight, he likes to party and let himself go for a few months. His team wishes he would change his plan, but this means short turnarounds for the Brazilian are largely off the table.