UFC Vegas 106: Michael Morales continues ascent with 1st-round TKO of Gilbert Burns

Michael Morales appears to be the real deal.

The rising UFC welterweight star notched the biggest win of an undefeated career on Saturday with a first-round TKO of former challenger Gilbert Burns. He is the first welterweight to ever finish Burns in the first two rounds.

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The win ties Morales for the third-longest win streak in the welterweight division with six, behind newly minted champion Jack Della Maddelena (eight) and top contender Shavkat Rakhmonov (seven). It has been a furious ascent for a fighter who made his UFC debut in 2022 and has looked like he has every tool needed to be considered a future title challenger.

As for Burns, this was aanother gatekeeping fight for the 38-year-old, and it's hard to say he's provided much security lately. It's his fourth straight loss and his fifth in eight fights since challenging Kamaru Usman for the belt in 2021.