Michael Morales' Shocking Scale Photo Reveals Massive Weight Cut Needed Before Carlos Prates Fight

After Islam Makhachev pulled his name from UFC 336, matchmakers moved quickly to book an interim welterweight title fight between Michael Morales and Carlos Prates as the co-main event. The bout marks Morales’ first appearance since UFC 322, nearly a year after his impressive first-round TKO over Sean Brady.

However, after putting on significant weight during his year-long layoff, Morales now faces a tight three-month window to get back into championship shape.

Michael Morales Has Only 13 Weeks to Cut Over 50 Pounds

The undefeated Michael Morales (19-0) will face Carlos Prates (24-7) on Jan. 30 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with the winner earning a guaranteed shot at Islam Makhachev later in the year. However, the Ecuadorian contender has a long way to go before fight night due to his heavy out-of-camp weight.

Taking to Instagram this weekend, the 27-year-old posted a series of photos, including a snapshot of a digital scale reading a staggering 220.8 pounds. Highlighting just how little time he has left to cut the extra weight, he captioned the post, "13 weeks."

To be eligible for the belt, Morales must cut nearly 51 pounds to hit the strict 170-pound welterweight limit. This means he has to lose about four pounds a week. Moreover, he does not get the usual one-pound grace because this is a title fight.

Cutting nearly a quarter of body weight takes a brutal physical toll, as severe dehydration drains an athlete's cardio and slows down recovery. That could cause major trouble against Prates, who has already proved how dangerous he is late in fights with stoppage wins over Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena.

However, Morales usually doesn't need to worry about late-game fatigue. The undefeated Ecuadorian has made a habit of finishing fights early, running through Neil Magny, Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady with consecutive first-round TKOs.

But if Morales enters the cage depleted from a brutal weight cut, Prates will be ready to take over. To prevent that, Morales must lean on his physical frame. While Prates stands slightly taller at 6'1", Morales actually holds a reach advantage with a 79-inch wingspan. He’ll need to leverage that extra length to keep the fight on the outside and stay out of harm's way.

UFC history shows that extreme weight cuts impact fighters differently. Early in his career, Conor McGregor routinely suffered through massive cuts to make 145 pounds without ever losing his trademark power or durability. Conversely, former champion Renan Barão suffered a steep career decline after pushing his body through too many severe cuts.

For Morales, it remains to be seen whether his body can survive the scale before he even has to survive the fight.