Michael Morales just got a pretty massive win outside the Octagon. And that’s because the UFC welterweight contender and his girlfriend, Kattya Salazar, are expecting a baby girl. And judging by the gender reveal, the soon-to-be dad is absolutely over the moon.

The 27-year-old shared a video of the big moment on Instagram, with pink confetti exploding into the sky as he celebrated alongside friends and family. The Ecuadorian fighter also got a little emotional in the caption, sending a sweet message to his future daughter.

“We’re waiting for you with all our love, princess,” he wrote in Spanish. “Daddy and Mommy already love you more than words can say. Our little girl, our greatest gift.”

As per BollywoodShaadis, Michael Morales’ girlfriend, Kattya Salazar, is a Mexican model and social media influencer from Sonora who goes by Katkiry online, and she is already a mom of two. The couple’s relationship became public in 2026 after months of fan speculation.

Now, the couple are getting ready for their next big chapter. Ecuadorian entertainment outlets have reported that Salazar is more than three months pregnant with Michael Morales’ child, with the pair now confirming they’re expecting a baby girl.

The baby news didn’t take long to make the rounds in the UFC community, with plenty of Morales’ fellow fighters jumping into the comments to celebrate with him.

UFC flyweight Brandon Moreno kept it short and sweet, writing, “Congratulations, my Michael 👏❤️.”

Women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern also sent her best wishes, commenting, “💕💕💕🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 congrats!!”

Of course, the timing makes the announcement even more interesting. Michael Morales is coming off a run that has turned him into one of the UFC’s most talked-about undefeated fighters, and at 27, he’s still got plenty of room to climb.

While he enjoys the latest win in his personal life, attention will soon shift back to what’s next for him inside the Octagon, but not before the fight world celebrates this major milestone with the rising welterweight contender.

Fans see a future champion in Michael Morales and his daughter

Fans quickly flooded the announcement with congratulations, with one writing, “A champion for the world and for them ❤️.” Another declared, “The new queen of the UFC is coming 👏.”

Another fan joked, “The one that will make Dana White look for female competitors is on the way.”

Others kept the focus on the Morales family, writing, “Another Morales was already needed ❤️.” “It looks like the intro to a movie,” and “Project: Future Champion!”

Some fans also connected the major personal milestone to Michael Morales’ title ambitions. “Morales’ title run starts now,” one fan wrote, while another reminded him, “Michael, don’t forget there’s still a title to win.”

Another simply called the baby “Just the motivation he needed.”

After all, the baby news may have stolen the spotlight for a moment, but Morales still has business to handle inside the Octagon. The undefeated Ecuadorian recently revealed that he’s already agreed to return in January, just not against Islam Makhachev or Carlos Prates.

And there’s no shortage of big names waiting for him in a welterweight division that’s absolutely stacked right now. Islam Makhachev sits at the top after successfully defending his 170-pound title for the first time, dominating Ian Garry in the UFC 330 main event.

Michael Morales and Carlos Prates are both right there in the mix behind the Dagestani phenom, but getting the matchup he wants has been a different story. With the welterweight title picture still taking shape, Morales decided to turn up the pressure and call out both men directly.

“Islam, since you came to my division and took the belt, I have been asking for the fight. You know who I am,” Morales said in a video posted on social media.

As for Prates, Morales made it clear he’s more than ready to settle their rivalry inside the Octagon.

“About Prates and me, you said, ‘Let them fight.’ Alright, I respect that. But after that, no more excuses,” he continued. “You and me for the belt.

“Prates, you said the UFC never offered you the fight with me. You said you will knock me out in the first round. Perfect, bro, let’s do it. You want the belt; I want the belt. Let’s find out who’s next.”

The 27-year-old wasn’t done there. If the UFC has other plans for the welterweight title picture, the undefeated contender already has another name in mind, and it’s a seriously dangerous one.

“But, if you guys have different plans, Islam, if you prefer Prates because you prefer an easier fighter, I have (my fight) for 2027,” Morales continued. “The final boss of this division, Shavkat Rakhmonov. You know where to find me. Oh, I almost forgot, f— Ian Garry.”

Shavkat Rakhmonov has been out of action since December 2024, when he picked up a unanimous decision win over ‘The Future.’ The Kazakh contender suffered a serious knee injury during the fight and has remained on the sidelines ever since, with recurring injury issues continuing to keep him out.

That inactivity has also become a sticking point in the title picture. Islam Makhachev has repeatedly dismissed ‘Nomad’ as a potential title challenger because of his injury troubles, even though the Kazakh remains one of the most highly regarded fighters in the division.

If Michael Morales and Shavkat Rakhmonov eventually share the Octagon, the stakes could be massive. A win for either man could put him right in the middle of the title conversation and potentially set up a shot at whoever comes out on top of the expected Makhachev-Prates matchup.

For now, though, the 27-year-old has something far bigger than rankings or title shots to celebrate. His family is getting ready to welcome a baby girl, giving the undefeated contender a pretty special reason to smile while his chase for UFC gold continues.