Sean Brady recently shared his thoughts on a noticeable shift in the UFC’s approach to title contention, suggesting that the promotion may be moving away from labeling fights explicitly as title eliminators. Currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC welterweight division, Brady elaborated on why he believes this change is happening and whether he agrees with it.
Brady is coming off an impressive submission victory over former champion Leon Edwards, adding momentum to a welterweight landscape that has seen significant changes lately. Jack Della Maddalena dethroned Belal Muhammad, who now holds the No. 1 spot. Additionally, Islam Makhachev vacated his lightweight title to move up and challenge Della Maddalena in his first title defense.
In response to these shifts, the UFC recently announced two high-stakes welterweight matchups. Sean Brady is set to face Michael Morales at UFC 322, while Belal Muhammad will square off against Ian Machado Garry at UFC Qatar on November 22.
### UFC Moving Away From Guaranteed Title Shots
During his appearance on *The Ariel Helwani Show*, Brady revealed that the UFC is no longer promising fighters immediate title shots following certain wins. Rather, the promotion seems to be focusing more on rewarding impressive performances than solely relying on rankings.
“The UFC aren’t saying any fight is a No. 1 contender fight anymore,” Brady explained. “I don’t think they’re publicly saying anything because they want to see how all these fights shake out. They’re not gonna say one guy’s the No. 1 contender if he wins and he has a lackluster performance.”
He added, “I just think it’s whoever performs the best, and then whoever’s gonna be available when they need you, I think that’s gonna be how it goes.”
### Why Brady Accepted the Fight Against Michael Morales
Brady also opened up about why he accepted a risky fight against Michael Morales at UFC 322. Despite being ranked significantly higher, he recognizes the potential repercussions of a loss but also the significant upside of defeating an undefeated prospect.
Morales currently holds the No. 8 ranking in the welterweight division and carries an 18-0 record. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, the Philadelphia native described his discussion with UFC matchmaker Hunter Campbell, who informed him that Morales was the only ranked opponent available for a fight this year.
“Hunter Campbell called me personally and he was the one who offered my Morales,” Brady said. “They pretty much told me Morales was the only guy available if I wanted to fight this year. Yeah, so I’m going to fight.”
Brady also rationalized that, as a top contender, he would have to face Morales eventually. “At the end of the day, Morales is 18-0. I’m going to have to fight him eventually, I’m going to have to fight all these guys eventually. So, I’ll get him out of the way now.”
### Not Focused on Rankings, But on Making a Statement
Despite holding the No. 2 spot, Brady emphasized that he isn’t overly concerned with or focused on UFC rankings. He acknowledges that, at times, fighters have been bypassed in favor of matchups driven by other factors such as marketability.
Brady conveyed that his main goal is to make an undeniable statement inside the Octagon, rather than simply chasing the No. 1 ranking.
“[Campbell] was like, ‘The rankings really don’t matter. At the UFC is gonna put whoever they want in there for the belt.’ So, I’m not really too concerned with the rankings,” Brady explained on *The Ariel Helwani Show*. “I go out here, I beat an 18-0 kid, young, hungry, up-and-comer. And then, undeniable is the word in my mind. I’ll become undeniable after that.”
With the welterweight division evolving rapidly, Sean Brady is embracing the challenge and focusing on performance — a mindset that could help him carve a clear path to the title, regardless of the UFC’s shifting policies.
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