UFC rising welterweight star Michael Morales may be on a break, but his latest video, enjoying time with friends, is enough to give Dana White a scare. Since last month, rising UFC star Michael Morales has really shaken up the entire 170-pound division with his blockbuster performance against Sean Brady at UFC 322: Makhachev vs. Della Maddalena.

After that dominant win, many fans immediately pegged Michael Morales as the next likely challenger for newly crowned champion Islam Makhachev. However, so far, nothing has materialized, leaving uncertainty about his next fight. Recently, Morales told regional media that he may compete at the UFC White House event on June 14 against former champ Jack Della Maddalena, though he will not face Makhachev.

“It could be him, and we’re waiting for that. They just told me a fight could happen, possibly on June 14th or around June,” Michael Morales told El Canal del Futbol.

The announcement has sparked excitement among fans and fighters on the card. Yet, Michael Morales also recently risked his own safety when social media showed him sitting in the passenger seat of a car while drinking and not wearing a seatbelt, with his friend, who was driving, also unbuckled.

“Michael Morales having a great time while looking like a heavyweight off camp💀🍻” wrote Red Corner MMA on X while posting the video clip.

Naturally, the video sparked outrage among fans as they saw the expected future welterweight champion drinking alcohol and riding in a car without a seatbelt, and they quickly flooded social media with their reactions.

Michael Morales draws heat from fans before UFC White House showdown

Coming from the Ecuadorian circuit, undefeated Michael Morales has built a reputation for his elite striking, finishing over 70% of his fights by knockout. Because of this, critics and MMA pundits see his unorthodox style as potential kryptonite for Islam Makhachev, who relies heavily on wrestling.

In fact, one fan captured this sentiment after spotting Michael Morales driving without a seatbelt, “Bro please start wearing a seatbelt. You’re our only hope against Islam Makhachev.” Still, Makhachev poses a formidable challenge for any striker. Fans point to how he defeated Jack Della Maddalena, another skilled striker, at UFC 322, proving that once opponents get close, he becomes nearly unstoppable.

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In response, a fan highlighted this potential risk for Morales, “A tall, no ground game tested, pure striker is your only hope against Islam? 😂” Meanwhile, beyond his fighting style, Michael Morales drew criticism for his off-cage behavior. Fans reacted quickly after seeing him ride in a car without a seatbelt:

“No seat belt very smart Morales very smart.”In the UFC, Morales has eight fights of experience and uses his size and reach of around 79 inches to dominate opponents. In videos, he appears notably large, which led some fans to question his eligibility at welterweight.

On the other hand, some see his physical attributes as an advantage: “He needs to watch his long limbs that give him some advantages.” So far, the promotion has not formally raised weight-bully allegations, although similar concerns appeared with fighters like Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Mostly, these discussions focus on weight cuts, which Joe Rogan once called “sanctioned cheating.” Another fan speculated, “He won’t be at 170 much longer.” Given Michael Morales’s size, this seems plausible. He could move to the middleweight division after conquering the welterweight belt.

Morales has shown he can handle top-tier opponents like Gilbert Burns and Neil Magny, but his biggest test still lies ahead against Jack Della Maddalena. What do you think of this matchup? Share your thoughts below.