Updated
Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 10
Michael Morales Faces 20.7-Pound Cut for UFC 330 Backup Role
Updated
Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 10

Michael Morales Faces 20.7-Pound Cut for UFC 330 Backup Role

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Aug 10

Summary

  • 190.7 pounds — Michael Morales said he is still 20.7 pounds above the 170-pound championship limit less than a week before UFC 330 weigh-ins.
  • Instagram posts showed Morales at 223.1 pounds at the start of camp, then 193.5 pounds entering fight week, underscoring how much weight remains to be cut.
  • UFC 330 needs Morales on weight because he is the backup for Saturday’s welterweight title fight between champion Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry.
  • The setup leaves Morales making a steep late cut for a bout he may never enter, with his role activated only if one of the main-event fighters cannot compete.

Insights

Can a fighter survive cutting over 50 pounds and still pose a real threat in a grueling UFC championship bout?
Why did the UFC choose an inactive fighter struggling with a massive weight cut as the ultimate backup for Makhachev?