Joseph Morales

Overview

Every UFC win Joseph Morales has is a submission. None came by knockout, none by decision.

The Team Alpha Male flyweight from Clovis, California, is 3-3 in the UFC, with all three wins inside two rounds, two of them in the first. He last fought at Noche UFC and carries a one-fight losing streak into his next bout. His 15-3 overall mark includes non-UFC fights, so the UFC record is the 3-3.

Three finishes in three wins. The three losses are a different story.

UFC Career

Morales debuted against Robert Sanchez on UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno and submitted him in the first round at 3:56. The next two fights went the other way: a second-round KO/TKO loss to Deiveson Figueiredo at 4:34, then a split decision loss to Eric Shelton in November 2018.

Then came a gap of nearly seven years between the Shelton fight and his next UFC appearance. He returned at UFC 319 and submitted Alibi Idiris in the second round, then tapped Matt Schnell in the first at 2:54 on UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs Brown. That pair is his longest win streak, at two.

The streak ended against Brandon Moreno, who our model rates as a strong opponent. Morales went the full three rounds and lost a split decision.

Fighting Style

Morales is a submission hunter who doesn't do much damage on the feet. He lands fewer strikes per minute than most UFC fighters and is less accurate when he does, but he is hard to hit and defends better than most standing.

On the mat, he rarely shoots for takedowns, yet he goes after submissions far more than most fighters in the UFC. He also gets taken down more than most, so opponents can often drag him into grappling exchanges.

All three of his UFC wins came by submission, two in the first round and one in the second. He has lost once by KO/TKO, and his other two losses went to the scorecards.

Notable Wins

• Matt Schnell — submission, round 1 (2:54), UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs Brown (2025)
• Alibi Idiris — submission, round 2 (3:04), UFC 319 (2025)
• Robert Sanchez — submission, round 1 (3:56), UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno (2017)

Quick Facts

• Division: Flyweight
• UFC record: 3-3
• Professional record (all promotions): 15-3-0
• UFC debut: 2017
• Stance: Switch
• Height / reach: 5'6" / 68"
• Team: Team Alpha Male
• Born: Clovis, CA, United States