RIO DE JANEIRO – Neil Magny still has the utmost desire to become UFC welterweight champion, and he’s ready to take the hardest road possible to get there.
Magny (27-9 MMA, 20-8 UFC), who has been on the UFC roster since February 2013 and holds the promotional record for most welterweight wins, has had plenty of ups and downs during his decade-long stint in the octagon. He’s still highly relevant, however, and is set to take on Gilbert Burns (20-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) in the UFC 283 featured bout Saturday.
Burns, a former title challenger at 170 pounds, is not a name a lot of people are raising their hand to fight. Magny explicitly called him out, however, and will enter enemy territory in Brazil for the clash, which airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC and ESPN+ at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
“We’re both fighting for position at this point,” Magny told MMA Junkie and other reporters at UFC 283 media day. “I know his goal is to get to another title shot. That’s my goal, as well. It just so happens that we have to clash for that position right now. When I initially called him it out, it wasn’t for any other reason than he was the No. 5 guy and trying to get me where I want to go. Going into this fight Saturday, I know what’s at stake, I know what this fight brings, and I’m ready for all of it.”
In the past two years, Magny has won three of four fights. His lone setback came against undefeated rising star Shavkat Rakhmonov, but Magny already has bounced back from that result. Beating Burns would be one of the most high-profile wins of Magny’s storied career, and if he gets the job done, he said he’ll be aiming for an even tougher matchup next.
“It’s Belal Muhammad after this fight,” Magny said. “For me, that’s a person to fight. For me, that’s a fight that’s more than 10 years in the making between he and I, and right now what’s at stake as far as title contention, I think that’s a fight that makes a lot of sense. I’m not looking too far ahead – Gilbert is on Saturday – but perfect-world scenario (if I win).”
Magny said his history with Muhammad comes from the fact they both came up on the Chicago regional scene, but never crossed paths. Magny was in Las Vegas shooting Season 16 of “The Ultimate Fighter” when Muhammad was getting ready to make his pro debut for Hoosier Fight Club, which was where Magny fought his final bout before “TUF” and his ultimate call to the UFC. Magny would like a Muhammad fight to happen, but said his focus is all about UFC 283.
It’s the fourth time Magny has competed in Brazil during his UFC tenure, and though he’s had mixed results, the 35-year-old sees a successful night against Burns.
“I’m 1-2 in Rio and more than confident I will make it 2-2 on Saturday night,” he said.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 283.
