Michael Morales and Carlos Prates get huge praise from Belal Muhammad following UFC 322

Belal Muhammad was paying attention to the UFC 322 card, and he has big praise for Michael Morales and Carlos Prates.

Morales and Prates both had statement-making performances inside Madison Square Garden in New York City recently. Morales starched grappling specialist and highly regarded contender Sean Brady in the first round. Prates found himself on the good side of the highlight reel, becoming the first fighter to knock Leon Edwards out.

In an interview with Newsweek Sports, Muhammad discussed the significant of what Morales and Prates were able to achieve at UFC 322.

“They were huge,” Muhammad admitted. “[For] Morales to finish a guy like Brady in the first round shows how good he is. I’ve trained with the kid. I’ve been saying it from the beginning that a lot of people were sleeping on him. So, I knew that he was capable of that. Then, [for] Prates to finish a guy like Leon Edwards standing up is huge. This next generation that’s coming, they’re all hungry little lions.”

Morales has now improved his pro MMA record to a perfect 19-0. He’s beaten the likes of Gilbert Burns, Neil Magny, Jake Matthews, and now Brady. He’s already called for a title showdown with newly minted UFC Welterweight Champion Islam Makhachev.

As for Prates, it’s his second knockout victory in a row. Back in August, the Fighting Nerds standout iced Geoff Neal with a spinning back elbow with just one second to spare in the opening frame. The two knockouts have served as a strong bounce back for Prates, who dropped a unanimous decision to Ian Machado Garry back in April.

The UFC welterweight division continues to heat up, and that’s without the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov, who hasn’t fought since late 2024 due to an injury. Time will tell just how far Morales and Prates have elevated themselves in the 170-pound weight class.