"A blessing in disguise" - Michael Morales shows gratitude to Belal Muhammad after UFC Vegas 96 win, latter returns favor on X

Rising welterweight contender Michael Morales had another incredible night on Aug. 24. After putting on an impressive performance at UFC Vegas 96, the Ecuadorian shared words of gratitude toward UFC welterweight king Belal Muhammad.

Morales spoke to Michael Bisping for his post-fight octagon interview where he spoke about his experience of training with Muhammad and his team. The 25-year-old praised the welterweight champion's character and shared how time with his team was crucial for his development.

"It was a great opportunity to train there with... Belal as well. They really welcomed me. It was so important for my development... To have trained there, they are really more than a family. They train really well there and Belal is an incredible person and I think was a very important piece of my development for my training because as it turns out, it was a blessing in disguise."

Check out Michael Morales' post-fight octagon interview below:

Muhammad took to social media to return the favor and uploaded several posts on X, showering praise on the rising welterweight contender.

In his posts, 'Remember the Name' spoke about his time training with the Ecuadorian and mentioned how Morales was the best prospect in the UFC at the moment.

Check out Belal Muhammad's posts below:

Morales locked horns against veteran Neil Magny in a welterweight showdown on the UFC Vegas 96 main card. The fight was a short-lived affair as the rising contender landed a brutal spinning back elbow on 'The Haitian Sensation' and proceeded to score a TKO victory in the opening round of the fight.

After UFC Vegas 96, Morales stands undefeated as a professional fighter with an impressive record of 17-0. Thirteen out of those 17 victories have been finishes – 12 knockouts and one submission.