This weekend, Michael Morales marks his exit from the welterweight assembly line, as he is booked in for the standard Neil Magny acid test before he can be released to the general public (and top 15). Of course, prior to each Magny IPO, a certain amount of background information is necessary before a potential fanbase can form. So, let’s see what we can learn from this debut offering out of Xtreme Fitness Machala.
Infallibility
Within MMA, an undefeated record is a poisoned chalice. Thanks to the divisional depth of the modern UFC, the zero next to your name will always end up a mere chimera, fuelling the naysayers who may now refer to your product as “damaged goods”.
This dilemma is partly the casualty of excellence, as thanks to the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, infallibility is now a measuring stick, rather than an obsessive goal for whoever still bothers to purchase the EA UFC games. But until he faces defeat, there’s little reason to cordon his potential, being only 25 years of age and four fights into his career at the top table, he may well be the next welterweight Wunderkind.
A National Hope
Morales fits the wunderkind label nicely, and with the eviction of Muhammad Mokaev, he’s now possibly the youngest bona-fide prospect on the roster, sporting a UFC-tenured 16-0 record, with a win against Neil Magny most likely pushing him into the top 15. This record is comprised of solid parts, with wins over credible opposition including Max Griffin and Jake Matthews. Yet, unlike Mokaev, there are no asterisks lurking beneath the win column, with Morales simply outclassing his most significant opponents in every area of the game, a real feat against opposition who have quite literally seen it all.
However, compared to Magny, the experiences of Griffin and Mathews are those of mere mortals: fleeting, subjective and capricious. When it comes to cage tenure, Magny is a kind of deity within the broader pantheon of MMA greats, as he has been the proverbial dance partner for every bright young thing supposedly ready for a promotional push.
A media campaign certainly seems in order for Morales. He is only the second Ecuadorian fighter to enter the UFC, and considering the recent slide of his compatriot, Marlon (Chito) Vera, who has experienced back-to-back rather predictable losses, it may be time for Morales to step up, and shoulder the image rights of Ecuadorian MMA.
Technical Guide
In summing up the game of Morales, the word that consistently comes to mind is “tricky”. Unlike the majority of conventional stars, his wins are not the product of brute force or a slippery fight IQ, instead his prophylactic style is built on generating discomfort for his opponents, as he picks them apart from range with a piston jab and picturesque striking flurries.
The formula for discomfort lies in the footwork and stance adjustments, with Morales relying on his rear leg to generate the power necessary to fuel his upward jab, while remaining light on his front foot to insure against outside low kicks and hamper his opponent’s ability to read the entry.
This floating front leg technique also lends itself to inside low kicks and the superman punch. Because Morales’ front foot is so hard to read, he is capable of rapidly switching into the punch as he already has very little weight in the front of his stance.
In his DWCS bout, he made constant use of the superman switch, baffling his opponent with the activity of his jab, which he was able to use to hide the switch by remaining poker-faced with the rear heavy stance. This was artfully coupled with a healthy use of unorthodox techniques, such as the ever-underrated uppercut to the body which can easily be set up against opponents who employ a high guard, which you would think would be a sensible response to the speed and power of Morales’ straight shots.
Furthermore, he looks to be carved out of granite, with explosive power and a dexterous wrestling game as back-up, in case he runs into trouble on the feat. (this is not as of yet, a reality).
However, with some of the holes in his game, he practically does need to be made out of granite, as his non-existent head movement and tendency to walk himself onto the cage makes him an appetising prospect for any top-15 striker looking for a bounce back win. These habits have reared their ugly heads in each of Morales’ UFC matchups, with even the more rudimentary strikers finding success in blitzing inside his reach and cracking him with lead hooks.
While the superman punch is pretty, it’s easily readable once the opponent understands it to be his only counter to being worked onto the fence.
The Counter Attack
These rather pronounced weaknesses give Magny a lot to play with, specifically double jabs as a means of closing distance, jabbing to Morales’ (very upright) body before moving off centre-line, switching to southpaw whenever Morales begins to press, and focusing on kicking out the trailing leg once he has marooned a retreating Morales on the edge of the cage.
These tactical adjustments amount to a sound and achievable gameplan. There is, however, a scuffer: The improbability of Magny stepping up to the plate in this instance.
This isn’t a crude attempt to slander a welterweight legend, his miraculous comeback win against another prospect (and national hope) Mike Malott, proved that Magny is still a phenomenal competitor. In this case, the numbers (in terms of age and physiology) simply don’t add up, with Magny lacking the pep in his step to convincingly blitz, or move off the central lines which Morales appears tied to.
Final Thoughts
The parring of Neal Magny with this young, undefeated and exciting prospect by the UFC means we must pay attention, as in Michael Morales, the match makers clearly see a potential welterweight star. Whether the Ecuadorian has been drawn from the same vane of talent, as Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov, or instead follows in the footsteps of the likes of Mike Malott, Philip Rowe and Daniel Rodriguez is the next hotly anticipated question for those on prospect watch this Saturday.
