Joseph Morales makes quick work of Matt Schnell with first-round guillotine at UFC Vegas 111. The co-main event at UFC Vegas 111 featured a fast and wild flyweight battle between Joseph Morales and Matt Schnell , but it didn’t last long. On Saturday, November 8 2025 Matt Schnell and Joseph Morales entered the Octagon to make a statement in the flyweight division. And they delivered an action-packed battle that kept fans on their feet.
Matt Schnell entered the bout as a seasoned UFC veteran, known for his technical skill and heart under pressure. Schnell was coming off an impressive unanimous decision win over Jimmy Flick at UFC Kansas City in April 2025. That victory helped him bounce back after a pair of tough losses which was a submission defeat to Cody Durden in September 2024 and a KO loss to Steve Erceg earlier that March. Despite setbacks, Schnell remains one of the most experienced fighters in the division, bringing sharp striking and an underrated submission game to every contest.
On the other side of the cage was Joseph Morales, The 29-year-old showcased his grappling prowess when he submitted Alibi Idiris with a triangle choke in the second round at UFC 319 co-main event in August 2025. Just two weeks earlier, Morales earned a split-decision victory over Imanol Rodriguez. With a background built on strong grappling and slick submissions, seven of his wins came by tap-out. Morales entered this fight confident and hungry to continue his winning streak.
Morales made his way first into the octagon, followed by Schnell. Right from the start, Schnell came forward throwing sharp combinations and landed a few clean strikes. He then shot for a takedown and got Morales to the canvas. However, Morales didn’t stay on his back for long. He reversed the position and ended up on top. From there, Morales began landing short elbows and worked to improve his position. As Schnell tried to escape, Morales quickly transitioned with a guillotine choke when Schnell turned the wrong way. The choke was tight, and Schnell had no choice but to tap out at 2:54 of Round 1.
In the end, it was a short night for Matt Schnell and a huge moment for Joseph Morales. Morales proved that his time away from the Octagon only made him sharper, and his slick submission shows he’s ready for bigger challenges ahead.
Joseph Morales didn’t just win, he made a statement. A quick reversal, smooth transitions, and a nasty guillotine finish sent a clear message to the rest of the flyweight division that he is back and better than ever.
Main Card
Gabriel Bonfim def. Randy Brown via KO (knee) (R1, 1:40)
Joseph Morales def. Matt Schnell via submission (guillotine choke) (R1, 2:54)
Uros Medic def. Muslim Salikhov via TKO (strikes) (R1, 1:03)
Chris Padilla def. Ismael Bonfim via TKO (strikes) (R2, 4:30)
Christian Leroy Duncan def. Marco Tulio via KO (spinning backfist, punches) (R2, 3:20)
Preliminary Card
Jamall Emmers def. Hyder Amil via unanimous decision (29-27 , 30-27 x2)
Raoni Barcelos def. Ricky Simon via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Josh Hokit def. Max Gimenis via TKO (strikes) (R1, 0:56)
Denise Gomes def. Tecia Pennington via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Daniel Marcos def. Miles Johns via submission (RNC) (R2, 4:23)
Zachary Reese def. Jackson McVey via submission (RNC) (R2, 1:38)
