Vince Morales VS Colby Thicknesse

Thicknesse survived a brutal third-round rally to squeak out a unanimous decision win. Thicknesse started incredibly strong, utilizing high-level jiu-jitsu in the first round to put Morales in serious danger with deep triangle choke and armbar attempts. The second round was razor-thin and contested mostly on the feet, where Morales defended well and traded punches, but Thicknesse maintained a high pace and steady pressure. In the third round, Morales showcased his veteran savvy by rocking Thicknesse and gaining top position, where he proceeded to beat Thicknesse up with heavy ground-and-pound. Despite Morales's dominant final round, Thicknesse's submission threats and volume in the first ten minutes were enough to earn him the nod on the scorecards with identical 29-28 scores.

Colby Thicknesse makes his second appearance at RAC Arena — the same venue where he earned his first UFC win over Josias Musasa last September — as a 26-year-old Australian prospect looking to build on an 8-1 record, while 35-year-old American veteran Vince Morales carries a 3-8 UFC record and arrives off a loss to Raul Rosas Jr. in March 2025. Morales, a wrestling-based fighter who has shown near-submission ability against quality opponents, represents the experience edge, but Thicknesse's significant volume advantage and home crowd support make this a genuine opportunity for him to establish ranking relevance.