Kalinn Williams vs. Alex Morono
Narrative: Alex Morono was supposed to take on Dhiego Lima but Lima pulled out due to injury. The show must go on, and the UFC would go to the regional scene to sign Kalinn Williams to step into the short notice fight. Morono made his UFC debut in 2016 and his UFC record stands at 6-2 (1 NC). Williams is a regional fighter on a current six-fight win streak.
Shawn Bitter: Morono is a veteran of the UFC who is a tough challenge for anyone to make their debut against. Morono struggles the most against good wrestlers and it’s hard to see Williams being a big threat in that area. If the fight was to hit the mat Morono no doubt has the better grappling, if he was on top or even off his back. The clearest path to victory for Williams is on the feet, but there is still a fair amount of fog. Morono is just much more active on the feet and more seasoned everywhere. The biggest anchor on the back of Williams for this fight is cardio, especially given he’s taking this fight on short notice. Lima didn’t drop off the card until late January.
Kristen King: Kalinn Williams sure does have his work cut out for him in his UFC debut against veteran Alex Morono. With an impressive record of 9-1, Williams has shown some promise in his young career, but I am not sure how far that will get him in a fight opposite of someone like Morono. Williams lets his hands go until his opponent goes down at some point and he does well on the ground whenever he is on top, which has worked in nearly all his fights. However, Morono is unlike any opponent Williams has faced and I believe he will prove to be too much for the newcomer, especially during a time in his career where almost everything seems to be figured out as far as his game goes. I expect Williams to start out fast and look to land some heavy shots early, but Morono will do his best to avoid that and take control of the fight. I do not see Williams being a threat to a surging Morono, so I predict either a second-round TKO or unanimous decision victory for “The Great White”.
Ryan Fortune: I have to favour the UFC experience of Alex Morono here, who is heading into his tenth UFC bout. He has also put together a nice win streak in recent times and I believe he has shown enough to beat Williams, who is coming in on short notice as a replacement for Dhiego Lima. Morono gets it done in my eyes, and is likely to do so inside the distance.
Marcel Dorff: Kalinn Williams comes in on short notice against one of the most underrated fighters in the Welterweight division. Alex Morono fights in front of his own crowd. Ultra tough debut for Williams here. Morono obviously fought better competition while Williams did very well on the regional circuit. I expect Morono to control the fight and edge out a pretty dominant Unanimous Decision. Morono via UD.
Max Freedman: Michigan’s Williams has a great record at 9-1 and is still only 25. He kind of screams a Contender Series type of fighter but props to him and his Iridium management on getting this opportunity. It’s tough enough making a UFC debut on short-notice and going against a seasoned, experienced vet like Morono is too tall of an order for a UFC debut. Morono cruises to a decision or late TKO.
Anthony Walker: I’ll take Morono over Williams. That’s simply because of the strength of schedule. In his ten fights, Williams has only fought four fighters with records above .500. And it’s not like he has faced all four in his last four outings. Morono has proven himself capable of consistently beating proven opponents.
Keith Shillan: I have Alex Morono winning this fairly easily. The “Great White” has been in the UFC longer than Kalinn “Khaos” Williams has been a professional fighter. From what I have seen of Williams, he doesn’t appear to be a UFC caliber fighter at this time. “Khaos” is big and physically strong for the weight class but has some serious defensive deficiencies. He throws hard and has proven to have a solid chin but stands flat-footed, keeps his chin in the air, hangs his hands low and lacks head movement. He likes to throw leg kicks but usually throws them without setting them up. He also feasted on low-level fodder on the regional scene and is taking a major step up in competition.
Williams’ counterpart on Saturday is a crafty veteran, who has been on a roll since joining Fortis MMA. Morono loves a brawl where he does his best work with his overhand right and left hook. Also, watch out for his spinning attacks. Morono is a hittable target because he stands a little tall, pulls his head straight back to avoid punches, and lacks elite athleticism. However, he showed in his battle against Max Griffin that he is capable of biting down on his mouthpiece and winning a firefight. He is also a BJJ Blackbelt, so he can pull off a submission if the contest hits the canvas. I expect Morono to get it done early. Give me Morono by first-round TKO.
Daniel Vreeland: Alex Morono.
Standings (Year to Date)
Anthony Walker: 4-1
Ryan Fortune: 4-1
Kristen King: 3-2
Shawn Bitter: 2-3
Max Freedman: 2-3
Marcel Dorff: 2-3
Keith Shillan: 0-5
