Gilbert Burns entered UFC Fight Night 242 with aspirations of jumpstarting one last run at the welterweight title, but he left having to cope with a harsh reality thanks to Sean Brady.
In a main event that was never really close, Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) dominated Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) over the course of 25 minutes to earn a lopsided unanimous decision by scores of 50-45, 49-46, 50-45 on Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It was Burns’ third consecutive loss and all but assures that the 38-year-old Brazilian will never get a second chance at the 170-pound title.
Afterward, Burns was understandably dejected about his performance and the outcome of the fight.
“I’m a little bit disappointed,” Burns said in an ESPN post-fight interview with Charly Arnolt. “I know I have the grit, I know I can fight hard, but I didn’t let go.”
Burns, who came up short in his only title fight against then-champion Kamaru Usman in February 2021, believed a win over Brady could get him on the right path toward the top. He said he felt good all week, which is why the loss especially hurts.
“I just feel like – I felt great this whole freaking week,” Burns said. “I felt good in training camp. This morning was great. But when I got (to the cage), it didn’t flow. It just didn’t flow. Nothing was good. … I didn’t let it go. Props to Sean. Sean is a tough one. I hit him with some good shots, I tried to finish. I think I forced the finish too much.”
Burns isn’t sure what happens next in his career as the downward trajectory continues. He’d only thought about getting back on track before UFC Fight Night 242.
“I don’t know. That’s a good question. I didn’t think about that, so I’ve got to rethink,” Burns said. “I’ve got to go back, talk to my coaches, see what’s next. At the same time, give a little time to my family. They give up so much when I’m in a camp for a fight. I’m gonna go back, spend time with the family, go back to train. I don’t have any injuries, thank God. I lost, but at least the body is feeling good.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.
