Why Colby Thicknesse is making news

Bantamweights square off in the fifth fight of the night, with Colby Thicknesse taking on Vince Morales at 135 pounds. Colby Thicknesse has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in New Zealand.

Key facts

• Bantamweights square off in the fifth fight of the night, with Colby Thicknesse taking on Vince Morales at 135 pounds.
• Best known as the main training partner of current featherweight kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski, Colby Thicknesse (8-1) has gone 1-1 since joining the promotion back in early 2025, dropping a decision to Aleksandre Topuria in his debut before rebounding with a decision of his own over Josias Musasa.
• Colby Thicknesse is set to take on Vince Morales in a three-round Bantamweight fight on the Prelims at this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Perth.
• Thicknesse, boasting an impressive record of 8-1 with four finishes, is entering the octagon following his first UFC victory against Josias Musasa in September 2025.
• The elder Topuria brother looks to be a dark horse contender at 135 pounds and Thicknesse had more than a few good moments against him.

What we know

Going deeper, Best known as the main training partner of current featherweight kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski, Colby Thicknesse (8-1) has gone 1-1 since joining the promotion back in early 2025, dropping a decision to Aleksandre Topuria in his debut before rebounding with a decision of his own over Josias Musasa.

On the substance, Colby Thicknesse is set to take on Vince Morales in a three-round Bantamweight fight on the Prelims at this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Perth.

Beyond the headlines, Thicknesse, boasting an impressive record of 8-1 with four finishes, is entering the octagon following his first UFC victory against Josias Musasa in September 2025.

More precisely, the elder Topuria brother looks to be a dark horse contender at 135 pounds and Thicknesse had more than a few good moments against him.

It is worth noting that In contrast, Morales finds himself in a challenging spot, currently riding a three-fight losing streak, with his last triumph occurring back in August 2024.

By the numbers

At this stage, Currently, Thicknesse is positioned as a -142 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Morales remains the underdog at +120.

On a related note, a seasoned veteran who has also fought in Bellator and Rizin, Vince Morales (16-10) could well be fighting for his job once again on Saturday night.

Going deeper, while he does have the excuse that he’s been fighting extremely solid competition available to him, “Vandetta” is still 0-3 in his second stint in the UFC, after initially washing out of the promotion at 3-5 back in 2022.

On the substance, Raul Rosas Jr. has just broken into the rankings after dominating Rob Font, while Elijah Smith is widely regarded as one of the more promising prospects at 135 pounds.

The wider context

On a related note, Thicknesse’s clearest route to victory would appear to be his grappling.

Going deeper, Thicknesse trains at the renowned Freestyle Fighting Gym in Australia, which is notable for being the training ground of UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski.

On the substance, Under the guidance of Head Coach Joe Lopez, Thicknesse benefits from the experience and expertise found in a facility that has produced championship-level fighters.

Beyond the headlines, despite previous performance fluctuations, Thicknesse had showcased his finishing ability prior to his UFC debut, boasting three consecutive finishes.

More precisely, this upcoming fight against Morales presents a significant opportunity for Thicknesse to assert his dominance against a seasoned veteran who has struggled recently.

The bottom line

• The elder Topuria brother looks to be a dark horse contender at 135 pounds and Thicknesse had more than a few good moments against him.
• A seasoned veteran who has also fought in Bellator and Rizin, Vince Morales (16-10) could well be fighting for his job once again on Saturday night.
• While he does have the excuse that he’s been fighting extremely solid competition available to him, “Vandetta” is still 0-3 in his second stint in the UFC, after initially washing out of the promotion at 3-5 back in 2022.