EVENT OVERVIEW
UFC Perth: Della Maddalena vs. Prates
Bout: Colby Thicknesse vs. Vince Morales
Division: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Venue: RAC Arena, Perth, Western Australia
Bout Placement: Early Prelims
Local Start Time: Approx. 6:00 PM AWST
U.S. Broadcast Time: Early Prelims begin 1:00 AM PT / 4:00 AM ET
Indoor arena — no weather impact.
INJURY REPORT
No reported injuries
No camp withdrawals
No weight‑cut concerns publicly noted for either fighter
Both fighters are fully cleared.
FIGHTER PROFILES & RECENT FORM
Colby Thicknesse
Record: 8–1 Age: 26 Country: Australia Style: High‑pressure striker with strong scrambling ability Reach: 70″ Stance: Orthodox
Recent Form
Win — TKO (2025)
Win — Submission (2024)
Win — Decision (2024)
Only loss: Split decision early in career
Thicknesse is part of the new wave of Australian prospects:
Fast hands
Strong leg‑kick game
Excellent transitional grappling
High pace, high cardio
He thrives in scramble-heavy fights and has shown the ability to mix striking and wrestling fluidly.
Strengths
Youth, speed, and athleticism
Strong finishing instincts
Crowd advantage fighting in Perth
Better durability at this stage of career
Weaknesses
Limited UFC experience
Can be overly aggressive early
Sometimes accepts clinch positions unnecessarily
Vince “Vandetta” Morales
Record: 13–7 Age: 35 Country: USA Style: Boxer-wrestler hybrid Reach: 70″ Stance: Orthodox
Recent Form
Loss — Decision (2025)
Win — KO (2024)
Loss — Submission (2024)
Loss — Decision (2023)
Morales is a veteran of the UFC and Bellator, known for:
Clean boxing combinations
Solid takedown defense
Strong counterpunching
However, he has shown declining durability and struggles against younger, faster opponents.
Strengths
Experience edge
Technical boxing
Good footwork and counter timing
Weaknesses
Declining chin
Lower output
Struggles with pressure fighters
Limited finishing threat at this stage
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN
Striking
Thicknesse: Faster, more dynamic, more varied weapons
Morales: Cleaner boxing but slower and more predictable
Edge: Thicknesse
Grappling
Thicknesse: Better scrambler, more explosive
Morales: Solid defensive wrestling but not offensively threatening
Edge: Thicknesse
Cardio
Thicknesse: High pace, youthful engine
Morales: Can fade under pressure
Edge: Thicknesse
Fight IQ
Morales: Veteran savvy
Thicknesse: Still developing
Edge: Morales
📊 BETTING ODDS (PROJECTED MARKET RANGE)
No official lines posted yet, but based on matchup dynamics and comparable pricing:
Colby Thicknesse: –250 to –325
Vince Morales: +200 to +260
Thicknesse will almost certainly open as the favorite due to:
Youth
Momentum
Home‑country advantage
Morales’ recent losses
📈 BETTING TRENDS
1. Youth vs. Veteran Trend
Younger, faster bantamweights have beaten Morales consistently in recent years.
2. Morales’ Durability Decline
He has been stopped multiple times in the last 3 years.
3. Australian Fighters in Australia
Historically perform well due to:
Crowd energy
Reduced travel fatigue
Familiar environment
4. Thicknesse’s Finishing Upside
Books will likely shade Thicknesse ITD (inside the distance).
FIGHT ODDS
Colby Thicknesse – 145
Vince Morales + 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, May 1, 2026
