220 pounds!: Morales shows the scale 13 weeks before his title fight… and fires back at Prates: 'Quit smoking, you're gonna need those lungs'
The unbeaten Ecuadorian weighs over 220 pounds and has to get down to 170 by January 30. Prates mocked his weight cut and Morales answered with no filter.
By Equipo La Jaula Props · · 1 min read
Photos: Presidencia de la República del Ecuador, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
Michael Morales has left everyone speechless. The Ecuadorian posted an Instagram photo of his scale with a two-word message, "13 weeks", and a number that went viral: 220.8 pounds.
The math: 50 pounds in 13 weeks
- The welterweight limit is 170 pounds. Morales has to lose about 51 pounds.
- Because it's a title fight, he doesn't get the one-pound allowance of regular bouts: he has to make the exact limit.
- Spread over 13 weeks that's about 4 pounds a week, although most of it will come off in the final days through the water cut.
- The photo is a training update, not an official weigh-in.
Prates mocks, Morales responds
Carlos Prates took the chance to jab: he joked that Morales would need about ten months just to cut weight. The Ecuadorian's response was quick: "Now shut your mouth and quit smoking, because trust me, you're gonna need those lungs."
An unexpected opportunity
Morales (19-0, 27) hasn't fought since UFC 322 in November 2025, when he knocked out Sean Brady in the first round. His interim title fight against Prates (24-7) came as a surprise after Islam Makhachev pulled out of UFC 336. It's on January 30, 2027 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, as the co-main event.
A giant welterweight
Walking around at over 220 pounds says a lot about his size: he's one of the biggest welterweights in the UFC, with a 79-inch wingspan. If he makes weight in good shape, he'll have a physical edge over Prates in the cage.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Michael Morales weigh?
His scale read 220.8 pounds 13 weeks before UFC 336, according to a photo he posted on Instagram. It's not an official weigh-in.
How much weight does Morales have to cut?
About 51 pounds, down to the 170-pound welterweight limit. Because it's a title fight, he has to make the exact limit.
What did Morales say to Prates?
After Prates joked he'd need ten months to cut weight, Morales replied: "Now shut your mouth and quit smoking, because trust me, you're gonna need those lungs."
When does Michael Morales fight Prates?
Saturday, January 30, 2027 at UFC 336, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, for the interim welterweight title.
What was Michael Morales' last fight?
He knocked out Sean Brady in the first round at UFC 322 in November 2025. He's unbeaten at 19-0.
