At UFC 322, Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev will collide in the most anticipated superfight of the year. But even before it’s all said and done at Madison Square Garden, questions about contenders in the welterweight division are gaining traction. Whatever the outcome on November 15th, the 170 lbs division will move on, and new contenders will rise to the line to try and thwart the champion. The question is – who will be most deserving once UFC 322 is in the rear-view mirror?

Right now, the welterweight division is stacked with contenders waiting for their turn. On the UFC 322 card itself, there are two more 170-pound clashes besides the main event, Carlos Prates vs Leon Edwards and Sean Brady vs Michael Morales.. Adding to the mix, Ian Garry is also set to face Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar. So, the next challenger for the 170 lbs title could very well emerge from one of these matchups. While it’s possible that the winners of these fights might wait for a title shot, the Philly native isn’t too concerned about it, and his reason is actually quite genius. 

Sean Brady makes his stance clear on facing the winner of UFC 322

On The Weigh-In Podcast with Josh Thomson, Brady said, “In my mind, whoever wins this fight is fighting for the title next. But who knows? If Prates goes out and beats Leon Edwards, he might get it. Then you’ve got Ian and Belal fighting. So, if I didn’t get the title shot after beating Leon Edwards the way I did at the O2 Arena, I’m just going into each fight without expecting the title next.”

It’s definitely a smart approach. If you ask Dana White, he loves fighters who don’t sit around waiting for opportunities and instead keep pushing forward. That said, nothing’s certain, but if Sean Brady keeps this mindset and scores another win over Michael Morales at MSG, he could easily position himself for a bout against the winner of Muhammad vs Garry. And if that turns into another victory, Brady would be impossible to deny as the next in line for the belt.

The Philly native added on the Weighing-in Podcast, “I’m gonna fight Morales. If I have to fight again after that, I don’t care. At the end of the day, I’m gonna get the belt. Fighters fight, and I get paid to fight. Fighting is what I love to do, so I’m just going to keep fighting until I’m undeniable and they have to give it to me.” 

Once again, Brady has made it clear that keeping the momentum alive will eventually earn him a title shot. However, while the #1 welterweight contender continues to embrace his grind-hard, get-gold mindset, another UFC fighter seems to be doing the exact opposite. Noticing that, Brady had a few words for his competition.  

Sean Brady claims to outrun Kamaru Usman in the 170 lbs title race 

Kamaru Usman ended his three-fight losing streak with an impressive win over surging contender Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta. But after getting his first win after roughly three years, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ felt he was ready for a title shot, and he didn’t hesitate to call out the winner of Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev. 

At the UFC Atlanta post-fight press conference, Usman said, “Let’s be honest, I’m the biggest in the division and this is about entertainment, the UFC is an entertainment company. You want to make the biggest fight, it’s gonna be the winner of (Della Maddalena) vs Islam (Makhachev).

Well, it’s true that Usman still holds legendary status in the welterweight division — but getting a title shot after beating a rising star seems like a long shot. Still, Sean Brady doesn’t think it matters much. In his mind, the #1 welterweight contender thinks he’ll simply outrun the former welterweight champ by stacking up more wins and letting his work speak for itself.

Continuing the interview at the Weighing In podcast, “He’s saying, he’s fighting for the belt next. I’m like, ‘You had a good win against Buckley, don’t get me wrong, but now what, you’re gonna sit out and wait for a title shot? I don’t think it should work like that. Like you said, winning solves everything. He has won one fight. If I go out and win more fights than him. I’ll get it next.”   

To be honest, if Brady makes a statement at UFC 322 against Morales, that alone might be enough to earn him a title shot. But if he goes a step further and adds another win on top of that, it would be tough for Dana White to overlook him and hand the opportunity to someone else.

That said, do you think Sean Brady should be next in line for the title if he convincingly beats Michael Morales? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.