Unbeaten Michael Morales Thrashes Gilbert Burns in UFC Vegas 106 Headliner

Michael Morales undoubtedly has everyone’s attention now.

The undefeated Entram Gym star aced his most significant test to date in the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight division, as he buried Gilbert Burns with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 256 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Morales (18-0, 6-0 UFC) closed the show and took a figurative bow 3:39 into Round 1.

Burns (22-9, 15-9 UFC) had no answers for the Ecuadorian brute. Morales sent the Kill Cliff Fight Club mainstay into a backpedal with a sweeping right hook and had him ducking for cover along the fence. Burns retreated to the canvas while being swarmed but found no refuge there and instead returned to his feet. Morales was waiting. He unleashed his hands again, drove Burns to the mat and prompted the stoppage.

Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 32 winner Mairon Santos rode a potent clinch game and a multi-pronged standup attack to a unanimous decision over Sodiq Yusuff in the three-round lightweight co-main event. All three members of the assigned judiciary sided with Santos (16-1, 3-0 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

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Yusuff (13-5, 6-4 UFC) played into the Brazilian’s hands for a majority of their encounter. The Lloyd Irvin disciple leaned heavily on leg kicks but failed to do much else to differentiate himself. Santos cut him with a head kick and abused him along the fence with knees, short punches and shoulder strikes. Distance between the two men grew over time. The sense of urgency Yusuff needed down the stretch was nowhere to be found, allowing his opponent to stay in his comfort zone and cruise to another victory.

Santos, 24, has won four fights in a row.

Further down the main card, ex-World Ertaymash Federation champion Nursulton Ruziboev boosted his stock with a unanimous decision over Dustin Stoltzfus in their three-round middleweight attraction. Ruziboev (36-9-2, 4-1 UFC) carried all three scorecards: 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.

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Stoltzfus (16-7, 3-6 UFC) stayed competitive throughout with takedowns, top control and submission attempts, but the difference in horsepower on the feet was noticeable. Ruziboev survived a clash of heads to control a majority of the first round and bloodied the Frankers Fight Team rep’s nose with a perfectly placed uppercut in the second. Stoltzfus turned up the heat across the final five minutes, as he secured a takedown, climbed to full mount and applied his ground-and-pound. It was not enough to turn the tide. Ruziboev weathered the adversity and made it to the finish line, leaving his fate to the judges.

The 31-year-old Ruziboev has won 12 of his past 13 bouts..

Finally, Melquizael Costa weathered a late rally from Julian Erosa and outpointed “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 22 semifinalist to a unanimous decision in their three-round featherweight firefight. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Costa (24-7, 5-2 UFC), who has rattled off four consecutive victories.

Erosa (31-12, 9-8 UFC) struggled to get out of the gate. Costa dazed him with a Superman punch and a head kick in the first round, then continued to punish the Xtreme Couture standout with a variety of weapons. Erosa struck for a pair of takedowns in the middle stanza and started to piece together meaningful offense, even as he ate crescent kick and a flying knee from the ambitious Brazilian. That set the stage for a wild Round 3. There, Erosa fought like a feral cat and wore down the former Predador Fighting Championship titleholder with merciless pace and a seemingly endless stream of punches, kicks, knees and standing elbows. Costa managed to return fire at times, waded through fatigue and kept the American at bay long enough to nail down the decision.

The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak for Erosa.

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