Michael
Morales wasn’t immune to butterflies in his first
Ultimate Fighting Championship main event.
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“Sure man, I was s—ting my pants,“ Morales said through a
translator at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. „They don’t
call him ‚Durinho‘ for nothing. Whoever has to be in the cage with
that guy, they would feel the nerves. He’s a guy who has fought for
a title, the people that he has fought throughout his career. It
was important for me to prove to him that the tough guy tonight was
me.”
Those nerves didn’t affect Morales’ performance in the UFC
Vegas 106 headliner, as he had former title challenger Gilbert
Burns on the retreat from the outset. A series of left and
right hands dropped Burns twice near the fence and ultimately
forced referee Herb Dean to
step in on the Brazilian’s behalf at the 3:39 mark in Round 1.
According to Morales, a high-pressure attack was all part of the
plan.
“We talked about this in camp, it was actually a big focus of our
camps, the reaction that he has when he gets hit,” Morales said.
“We know what he does when he’s backed up against the fence, and
you actually have him kind of corraled. What he does is he’s going
to go for that overhand. We know that was coming. We knew that by
pressuring him, that was coming and I need to counterattack. So [I]
might as well not let that happen. This was something that we
worked a lot with the team … We knew that we needed to pressure
him, and I feel happy about the fact that the work that we put in
worked.”
While Burns has lost four straight fights within the Las
Vegas-based promotion, Morales had nothing but respect for his
veteran opponent in the aftermath of his biggest victory to
date.
“First of all, he’s a great father. I know he’s going to become a
father again. He has a lot to give and there are moments that it’s
not going to be your night,” Morales said. “This is about ups and
downs and ebbs and flows. That’s [the way] the game goes. I would
send him comfort, all the respect and the gratitude as well for
actually giving me this fight.”
Morales has won six straight bouts in the UFC and looks to be a
contender on the rise in a suddenly crowded welterweight division.
The Ecuadorian is realistic that his fight of choice might not come
to fruition, but no matter the opponent, he does have a clear date
in mind for his return.
“I talked about Ian Garry.
That’s a fighter that I always wanted to fight. But I know that
he’s won his last fight. He’s looking up at the rankings, so I know
that might not happen,” Morales said. “The biggest thing is just
being healthy and the opportunity to be in Guadalajara [at Noche
UFC]. I think that fight, if they’re able to make it, I would like
to fight whoever in Guadalajara. I think at this point, taking
advantage of opportunities, maybe the sixth, the fifth, the fourth
in the rankings. We’ll take any opportunity that God gives us.”
Guadalajara, Mexico, is the site of UFC 320, which is also known as
Noche UFC — the promotion’s traditional celebration of Mexican
Independence Day. The card is scheduled for Sept. 13, but no fights
have been confirmed for the event.