Joseph Morales
USA
30-years-old
12-2
67% finish rate (2 KO/TKOs, 6 Submissions)
A1 Combat flyweight champion
Combined opponents’ record: 73-32-1
Pros
-Forward pressure
-Good wrestling
-Sneaky left head kick
-Good jiu-jitsu
-Good head movement
-Uses feints well
-Good jab
-Sharp one-two
-Good clinch work
-Scrambles well
-Good right hand
-Fast hands
-Credible wrestling
-Good counter striker
Cons
-TDD needs some work
-Questionable chin
-Slows later in the fight
Morales is the only fighter on The Ultimate Fighter 33 with prior UFC experience, having competed there from 2017 to 2018, where he went 1-2. His losses came against Deiveson Figueiredo and Eric Shelton, making his release feel premature. Since then, he has gone 3-0 and claimed a regional title, proving he deserves another shot. In fact, he should have been re-signed outright rather than going through TUF.
Despite his credentials, Morales is flying under the radar. I haven’t seen many people picking him to win, which makes him the season’s dark horse. He’s a well-rounded fighter—capable in striking, wrestling, and grappling, with a veteran’s composure inside the cage. However, he does have a few concerns. His chin isn’t the most reliable; although he’s only been finished once (by Figueiredo), he has been visibly stunned in fights. His cardio is another minor issue, as he tends to slow down later in bouts, affecting his sharpness.
That said, Morales remains a dangerous fighter. He’s a technical striker who leads with a sharp jab and clean one-two combinations, seamlessly mixing in kicks. His right hand is his best weapon but it’s far from his only weapon. He’s also an effective counterfighter, both in striking and wrestling. He times counters well, whether landing shots over the top or shooting for a takedown off his opponent’s punches. While his takedown defense isn’t elite, he scrambles well and is active off his back.
Win or lose, Morales belongs in the UFC. His weaknesses are minor compared to the many things he does right, making him more than deserving of another opportunity.
“I was excited at first. I had mixed emotions; I was sad that I was leaving my family behind, but I was super-excited to get this opportunity to be able to get back into the UFC,” Morales told media outlets during the TUF 33 cast introduction. He has no preference on coaches. “At first when they announced it, I was like ‘I’m all in on DC,’ then after a while I was like ‘I really want to be with Chael.’ Just having the opportunity to learn from either one of them, they both have a lot of experience, they’re both still around the game. And I think it’s just going to be cool to learn from whoever I get to be on the team with.”
