Latest news with #PerformanceoftheNightTKO
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gilbert Burns on Michael Morales UFC fight: 'I saw that coming, and I like it'
Gilbert Burns on Michael Morales UFC fight: 'I saw that coming, and I like it' Gilbert Burns is entering UFC Fight Night 256 with a chip on his shoulder. Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) takes on rising undefeated welterweight Michael Morales (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the May 17 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+). The former title challenger will look to snap a three-fight losing skid, most recently a unanimous decision to Sean Brady in the UFC Fight Night 242 headliner this past September. Meanwhile, Morales has finished three of his first five UFC fights, and is coming off a first-round, Performance of the Night TKO of Neil Magny at UFC on ESPN 62. Burns has no issue with the matchmaking, but hopes he can show a better account of himself against Morales. "I'm coming from three losses – not much to complain (about). I just want to go out there and show up and perform," Burns told MMA Junkie Radio. "I think that I lacked a little bit in my last fight. I had a little problem with the weight, with the recovery. I wasn't able to find a way to win it, but not taking anything away from Sean Brady – the guy was there and he did his thing. But I want to show up this time. I want to put all the work there, like controlling the weight now better. So I just want to go out there and put on a show. I knew that me being a veteran, being in the UFC for so long, I knew it was going to be one of the up-and-coming guys. "My guess was it was going to be Carlos Prates or Michael Morales, and it ended up being Michael Morales. I saw that coming, and I like it. It's always me proving to myself that I belong at the top of the division, and when I see these guys, I see a very athletic guy, super young, confident, long. He has a 79-inch reach. His reach is so big for the division. I just think it's a good test. The guy has been there, he's done that, he's fought a couple of good guys. People always count out Neil Magny, but other than Neil Magny, he fought Max Griffin who's a very tough opponent. He beat Jake Matthews. He fought on the Contender Series, so he keeps showing up, he keeps doing his thing, and eventually he deserves a shot at the top 10." "Durinho" relishes the opportunity to hand Morales his first-career loss, especially when he's facing plenty of doubters himself. "It's always fun, especially where I'm at now, people going, 'Oh, he's going downhill.' I like it," Burns said. "I like to be in that position and fighting another super guy who's coming, undefeated, 17-0, 25 years old, very strong, this and that. I like it. For me, it's always fun: OK, let's test these guys."
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jon Anik isn't too sure about Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva odds heading into UFC 314
Jon Anik doesn't think the betting odds accurately reflect the Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva matchup. Mitchell (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is a moderate underdog against rising featherweight contender Silva (15-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) on Saturday's UFC 314 main card at Kaseya Center in Miami. Mitchell turned plenty of fans against him after making controversial pro-Adolf Hitler comments, which Silva fully capitalized on during the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference last month. But Anik said people seem to forget Mitchell's strength of schedule in the UFC, which includes wins over Edson Barboza and Dan Ige. 'Whether he's lifting weights in blue jeans and boots or not even wearing any clothes, he's putting in the work,' Anik told MMA Junkie of Mitchell. 'He's one of the hardest workers in the game. You've always seen him go to great lengths to travel and train with high level training partners. I just think Bryce Mitchell's commitment in totality to martial arts is what gets lost in all of this. I don't have to tell you about his ground fighting exploits. Outstanding submission guy, a really great ground striker. He has heart, he has toughness, fight IQ, durability. 'He's got a little of different things. The betting line would suggest to you, with Jean Silva at -325, that he's going to need every bit of them to come through as a +260 underdog, but I do believe based upon the narrative and some of what he has said, we are losing sight of just the mixed martial arts matchup. You can count me among the surprised, despite The Fighting Nerds success and Jean Silva's ability to in all phases and his death-touch power, -325 against a guy as tried and tested in the UFC as Mitchell? I just don't see.' Silva has kicked off his octagon tenure with four stoppage victories, most recently a first-round Performance of the Night TKO over Melsik Baghdasaryan at UFC Fight Night 252 in February. He called out Mitchell after the win and got his wish. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 314.
