UFC Fight Night 264: Joseph Morales full post-fight interview
UFC Fight Night 264 winner Joseph Morales talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his first-round submission of Matt Schnell.
LAS VEGAS – Joseph Morales is shooting for the stars in his second UFC run, and that means getting his hands on the flyweight championship.
After scoring a first-round submission of Matt Schnell (17-10 MMA, 7-8 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 264 co-main event at UFC Apex, Morales (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is feeling confident as ever that his return to the promotion was no mistake.
Morales lost two of three in his first octagon tenure. It took him seven years to get back, but he did so in a big way by winning Season 33 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series. He followed that up with the finish of Schnell, and now Morales knows his place.
“(For UFC) to have the confident to put me in a co-main event, and to have a performance like that – it’s amazing,” Morales told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at UFC Fight Night 264. “I’m happy to be here in the UFC and I’m just grateful to have the opportunity, and hopefully those opportunities still continue.”
With dominant champion Alexandre Pantoja facing arguably his sternest test in Joshua Van at UFC 323 on Dec. 6, there will be much spotlight on the 125-pound division to close the years, and Morales will among those watching closely.
If Pantoja (30-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) keeps going through Van (15-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and subsequent competition, there will be a continued need for new and fresh opponents. Not only does Morales see himself as a future candidate, but he thinks he has the skillset to provide a true threat to the Brazilian.
“I think Pantoja’s one of the greatest flyweights of all time,” Morales said. “I honestly would love for him to win because I feel I match up great with him. I feel like his striking is really good, but I just have the IQ and his jiu-jitsu is great, but so is mine. I feel I’d be able to match that.”
