Kicking off the UFC 270 main card on PPV Saturday was a welterweight match-up between Trevin Giles and Michael Morales.
With a couple of bouts dropping off the card prior to weigh-in on Friday, Giles vs. Morales was the beneficiary, moving to a much higher profile slot on the Anaheim show. Morales, a Contender Series winner, was making his debut on the big stage. For Giles, it was a chance to back bounce from a tough loss to Dricus Du Plessis.
Unfortunately, despite a solid start, it was another rough night at the office instead of Giles.
It was early in the fight when Trevin Giles tagged his opponent with a right hand, sending Morales reeling back to the fence. Giles, however, opted to clinch, looking for a takedown and allowing Morales to clear any cobwebs he might have encountered. Giles would stay on the takedown, eventually landing it and moving to half-guard. Morales, however, would escape a choke and get on top; Giles in turn escaped out entirely, getting back to his feet.
For all the success he’d had early, Giles paid for a lapse in judgment later in the round. Giles moved in with a right hand, as he had earlier in the fight. But Morales caught him with a left, then put him down with a short right. With Giles in a heap on the canvas, Morales began dropping hammer fists until the ref called it off.
OH. MY. GOOOOOOOODNESSSSS!!!!!!
[ @MichaelMMA21 | #UFC270 ] pic.twitter.com/opi0uE3vJ3
— UFC (@ufc) January 23, 2022
The win saw Michael Morales improve to 13-0, while Giles has now dropped two straight.
Official Result: Michael Morales def. Trevin Giles by TKO, Round 1, 4:06
