Michael Morales is set to be the official backup for the upcoming UFC welterweight title fight.
The promotion has assigned Morales (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) to be the backup for Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry, which headlines UFC 330 on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. He’s expected to make championship weight – 170 pounds – and be on standby should Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) or Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) be unable to make it to the fight.
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Morales revealed the news of his backup role to MMA Junkie on Tuesday. Title backups are often assigned by the UFC in case a fighter competing for the belt gets injured, misses weight, or has any issue that prevents them from fighting.
Morales, 27, has made a lot of noise in the last few years, rising to title-contender status in the UFC. He last fought in November when he knocked out Sean Brady in the first round on the main card of UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Morales is undefeated at 19-0 with 14 knockouts and one submission win. He’s won three consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses with his three first-round finishes in his last three UFC bouts.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Morales set as backup for UFC 330’s Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry
