Undefeated welterweight contender Michael
Morales has been tabbed as the official backup for the
championship bout between Islam
Makhachev and Ian Garry,
which headlines UFC 330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in
Philadelphia.

Michael Morales becomes UFC 330 backup for Islam Makhachev vs.
Ian Garry title fight

Morales (19-0) has confirmed that he has been instructed to make
championship weight (170 pounds) and remain on standby should
either Makhachev (28-1) or Garry (17-1) be forced to withdraw due
to injury, illness or any other unforeseen circumstance.

The assignment marks another significant milestone for the
Ecuadorian prospect, who has rapidly emerged as one of the
division’s top contenders. Morales has remained unbeaten through
seven Octagon appearances and secured the biggest victory of his
career with a first-round knockout of Sean Brady
in November last year.

The
Dana White's Contender Series alum has also built significant
momentum, in terms of both results and popularity, winning three
consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses in his last three
outings.

Zuffa LLC

Islam Makhachev took no pleasure seeing Conor McGregor's short-lived return end with a knee injury.

McGregor was expecting to defy the odds in his first bout in five years against Max Holloway. The “Notorious†one made his grand entrance, but the fight barely made it past the one-minute mark. The Irishman threw a jumping kick, but his right knee buckled. It became apparent that McGregor couldn't continue, and the fight with “Blessed†was called off.

Complex recently spoke to Makhachev, who said he was lookin forward to seeing how McGregor would've looked if the injury never occurred.

“Honestly, I feel bad,†Makhachev said. “I knew Max was gonna beat him, but not fast like this in the first minute. I want to see how he fight after five years, and honestly, feel bad when this happens.â€

Despite McGregor's heated rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team, “Mystic Mac†and Makhachev have been complimentary of one another. McGregor recently urged Makhachev to avoid retiring anytime soon because his best has yet to come.

In the caption of an Instagram video, McGregor said he is working on a 2027 return. He labeled his next fight as “the last dance.†McGregor has said he needs to face Holloway in a trilogy bout given how their rematch played out. UFC CEO Dana White told reporters that McGregor has a long road to recovery from his ACL and meniscus injuries.

Makhachev will be looking to make his first successful welterweight title defense at UFC 330 on Aug. 15. Ian Machado Garry will be challenging Makhachev for the 170-pound gold in Philadelphia. Garry recently compared the build to his clash with Makhachev to McGregor's historic 13-second knockout win over Jose Aldo back in 2015.

What do you make of Islam Makahachev's reaction to Conor McGregor's knee injury? Drop a comment below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Strickland recently detailed the financial plight of newly signed
UFC fighters. The outspoken reigning middleweight champion also hit
out at a UFC matchmaker and some of the promotion's practices that
have rubbed him the wrong way.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland says aspiring
fighters should understand the financial challenges of MMA

During a recent appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show,†Strickland
offered a blunt assessment of the life of the average UFC athlete,
arguing that entry-level contracts and the financial realities of
competing in the Octagon leave many fighters struggling to make
ends meet despite reaching MMA's biggest stage.

“When you're a fighter, you're so f*cking poor,†Strickland said.
“Even in the UFC. UFC guys, they're signing guys at like, 10 and
10, [$10,000] to show, [$10,000] to win, $20 grand. So, then you
pay off your manager, you pay taxes; if you lose, you only get like
eight, seven grand.â€

According to Strickland, the financial challenges become even more
severe when injuries or inactivity enter the equation. While he
acknowledged that the UFC provides life-changing opportunities for
many international fighters, he described the promotion's pay
structure as “predatory,†particularly for athletes based in the
United States.

Strickland also criticized the UFC's matchmaking process, claiming
fighters often feel pressured to accept short-notice bouts because
declining them can lead to lengthy layoffs. He then singled out
longtime UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby, saying fighters often fear
turning down opportunities because of the possibility of being
sidelined for months.

“This guy [Shelby] is so f*cking brutal,†Strickland added. “You
could have a boring fight or something, and this mother*cker will
bench you for like eight months. Or you could say, ‘Hey Sean, I
want a fight.' He'll call you two weeks out from a fight… And if
you say no, he'll bench your ass. Yeah, the UFC is f*cking
brutal.â€

Strickland even suggested he'd discourage aspiring fighters from
pursuing a UFC career, though he stopped short of dismissing the
opportunities the organization has provided him. Despite his
criticism, Strickland acknowledged the opportunities the UFC has
provided.

“As much as I hate the UFC and I knock on them, they give people
opportunity you'd never have,†Strickland concluded. “I'd never
have opportunity.â€