Unbeaten Michael Morales looking to force his way into welterweight rankings with Jake Matthews win
Unbeaten Michael Morales looking to force his way into welterweight rankings with Jake Matthews win
Michael Morales (15-0, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) plans to stay undefeated and send a message to the 170-pound division by making an example out of Matthews
o UFC welterweight
o 11 wins by knockout, seven first-round finishes
o Undefeated
Michael Morales (15-0, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) plans to stay undefeated and send a message to the 170-pound division by making an example out of Matthews
o UFC welterweight
o 11 wins by knockout, seven first-round finishes
o Undefeated
Transcript
00:00 [Spanish]
00:19 Welcome again, one more fight week.
00:22 Main card, another good opponent here at the Apex, a place that's always home for you right now.
00:28 [Spanish]
00:39 I'm very happy, always happy to be fighting again.
00:43 Always good and also very happy about the fact that it's a co-main on the night.
00:49 [Spanish]
01:03 I imagine they already have some sort of, you know, kind of like a practice routine here in Las Vegas.
01:10 You probably know how to use the gyms and go to the PI, but in this case, were you able to do anything new?
01:16 Did you incorporate something new into your training this time around for this fight?
01:20 [Spanish]
01:37 No, just the same training out there, the same great training we always had at entering Tijuana.
01:43 I think we're all, we come in very ready for this fight.
01:47 The only thing remaining is just a little bit of a fat out there for the weight, for the weight cut. That's it.
01:53 [Spanish]
02:04 Is it easier now? I guess you're more grown as an adult to do it or is it as hard as we think it is?
02:12 How is the weight cut for you?
02:14 [Spanish]
02:43 Yeah, I mean, it's a challenge because, I mean, not hard, but a challenge because of the fact that ever since I got to enter,
02:51 I mean, the training is hard, so I've just been, it's a lot of strength training, so you get a lot of muscle mass
02:57 and you pack on some weight and then afterwards, obviously, it makes it a little bit more difficult
03:01 because you need to, that comes with fat as well, but I know how to, you know, manage my protein intake
03:07 and it's just something that, as I'm learning to get better every single time, but it's just something I have to,
03:15 it's better to, I'm learning how to control my body for the fights.
03:19 [Spanish]
03:46 And for, again, for a second fight like last time, big time veteran.
03:51 Now you get somebody that's kind of coming up in the rankings just like you,
03:55 so I understand you're ready to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime, but what is more exciting for you?
04:02 So, is it actually, or is this very exciting for you to actually have the opportunity to say,
04:07 "Hey, this could be a fight of the night"?
04:09 [Spanish]
04:38 [Spanish]
04:55 I'm always very excited without, you know, diminishing his power or his journey in the UFC,
05:04 but I'm very happy to actually have this opportunity, just somebody that I can understand where I am as a fighter.
05:10 I keep training for this, getting, improving for different fights.
05:14 As long as that's this guy that's trying to improve and get better, but I always still always try to improve for the next fight.
05:21 I'm always doing the thing that I, I'm always training to, for it to be the best.
05:28 I'm always training for the fights.
05:30 It doesn't matter who it is, just ready for the fight, always getting ready for a fight.
05:35 [Spanish]
05:39 Does anything stand out to you about Jake Matthews as your opponent this time around?
05:43 [Spanish]
06:12 [Spanish]
06:16 Yeah, I think it's, it's the unorthodox fighting style, like I have.
06:22 Someone who strikes with his hands down, like I do.
06:26 And I think it's going to be very curious and it's going to be a clash of styles.
06:30 I mean, it's a little harder to assess what the other fighter is going to do,
06:33 because when your hands are down and you're a striker, you don't know where that's coming from.
06:37 But I think that's going to be a little curious fact about the fight.
06:40 And I've noticed that you like to resonate yourself and you're a big fan of Miles Morales from Spider-Man.
06:45 Would you consider adding that to your nickname or maybe wearing one of his masks or something like that?
06:50 [Spanish]
07:06 [Spanish]
07:28 Yeah, I've been studying this one.
07:31 Just thinking about opportunities, maybe thinking about the nickname as well.
07:37 I think that's going to be up to the fans as well to kind of decide for my next fights.
07:40 But I really like the connection with Miles Morales for the future.
07:46 [Spanish]
07:50 Oh, of course, to be in the game in the future as well.
07:54 [Spanish]
07:59 I think Michael "Miles" Morales would be a cool nickname.
08:03 [Spanish]
08:12 Now, one in Spanish. We've seen lately fighters come out with flags.
08:17 Are you going to come out with the Ecuadorian and the Mexican flag on Saturday?
08:20 [Spanish]
08:32 Yes, I kind of found out last minute about the flags and I did not bring the flags.
08:38 But if I get an opportunity to get them, of course I'll come out with both.
08:42 [Spanish]
08:50 And another Ecuadorian fighter that we all know, Chito Vera, is going to fight for the title.
08:55 What would it mean for Ecuador to have him as a champion?
08:58 [Spanish]
09:26 [Spanish]
09:42 I think, you know, I'm very confident Chito is going to come out with a win.
09:46 I'm very confident about that.
09:48 I think it would be, it's just representing a country that I'm saying.
09:52 It's the feistiest year of them all, Ecuador.
09:55 Also, I think he's beaten him before. He knows what to do.
09:58 I'm pretty confident that he's going to beat him again and continue to be a champion and continue to be.
10:05 And then he's shown what he's all about.
10:09 It would mean so much. So many doors will be open, not only for Ecuadorians, but Mexicans, Latin American fighters in general.
10:19 I may have an opportunity. I would love if God permits an opportunity to actually share the card with him.
10:24 Maybe that card will be able to be in there.
10:27 But I'm sure it will be great and it will be an amazing win for all of Ecuador.
10:32 And I'm pretty sure he will continue to defend his title.
10:35 [Spanish]
10:41 With all the talent that's coming out of Ecuador, perhaps 2024 an event in Ecuador?
10:45 [Spanish]
11:14 [Spanish]
11:24 Of course, it will be an amazing opportunity. That's what we love to have.
11:28 It's a dream for us to actually have an event in Ecuador.
11:31 And just to give the opportunity to everyone out there to experiment all this and to experience everything that people have around here.
11:39 As you know, the PI opening in Mexico, this is going to just open up a lot of doors there.
11:44 And we have an event in Ecuador. Maybe we have more PIs everywhere.
11:49 More stuff in Mexico as well.
11:51 Just for everyone to understand how Latin American fighters are and what they deserve to have.
11:59 [Spanish]
12:01 Hey Michael, I know you said you wanted to be more active. So are you having a hard time fighting fights?
12:09 [Spanish]
12:30 I'm always ready. Just waiting for the opportunity, waiting for that call.
12:33 They call me for this one, I'm right here. I'm always just training, getting ready, waiting for that call.
12:39 Were you a little bummed to not fight on Noche UFC?
12:42 [Spanish]
12:59 [Spanish]
13:14 Sorry, I had to work myself here.
13:16 Of course I would love the opportunity in the future. It would be a great opportunity.
13:22 Just waiting for that call, just like the other ones. I'll always be ready to go when they call me for that one.
13:27 I corrected myself as I was talking about the last one. Of course, yeah. Unfortunately it didn't happen.
13:31 But hey, just waiting for that call. Whenever they call me, I'm there.
13:34 And with the UFC going to Mexico early next year, I'm guessing you want to be on that card?
13:39 [Spanish]
13:52 Yes, yes. It would be great. Any event that happens in Latin America, I would like to be present.
13:57 Thank you.
14:04 Thank you.
14:05 [BLANK_AUDIO]