Gilbert Burns earned a shot at Tyron Woodley by grounding the biggest grappler in the history of UFC.
The former UFC title -Uitdager has been there and did that on 170 pounds, fights against the then champion Kamaru Usman, Khamzat Chimaev, Belal Muhammad and many more tent names.
Burns, 38, gave new crowned welterweight champion Jack della Maddalena his toughest fight last year at UFC 299 by raising 7 times and had won if JDM had not collected by the last minute.
Burns, a world champion of several time in Jiu-Jitsu, had been known for years as the best grappler of the Welterweight Division. Moreover, Burns had a dangerous KO power in his hands, which he used to eliminate the legendary entry artist Demian Maia.
Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC
Gilbert Burns has a bomb on Demian Maia explodes in passing the moment
Before there was burns, there was Demian Maia, a 33-Fight UFC veteran who fought against Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley for the world title in two weight classes.
Despite his modest attitude, Maia was one of the scariest contenders with which you could ever be confronted. Maia submitted Chael Sonnen, Carlos Condit, Dong Hyun Kim and Ben Askren, the former world champion in the fight for Burns. Half of the 22 victories of Maia in the Octagon came through entry.
Even at the age of 42, Maia Burns took twice in a passing fight in UFC Brasilia on March 14, 2020-the first event of the UFC that was held without a crowd after the COVID-19 Lockdown.
Burns kept his own on the ground and escaped Maia's back control with a quick step.
Back on his feet, one shot was everything needed to put Maia down while Burns was connected to an average left angle.
Burns raised his arms and thought the fight would be stopped, but the referee did not swing it away and Maia received follow-up land and pound strikes for the second knockout loss of his 39-Vecht career.
With the victory, Burns earned his first main event against Tyron Woodley two months later, making the former champion on the way to a title shot against Kamaru Usman.
Gilbert Burns Faces Scary Knock -Outtartist at UFC Vegas 106
33 At the time of his fight against Maia, Gilbert Burns is now approaching the end of his career at the age of 38.
The former title Challenger is currently on the worst losing Skid of his career, dominated by former champion Belal Muhammad and #1 Compenders Sean Brady and finished by Jack della Maddalena.
Burns will return this weekend to winning ways against 17-0 competition Michael Morales in the Main Event of Five-Round of UFC Vegas 106.
5-0 In the UFC, Morales is a knockout party with 12 KOs on his record. The 25-year-old is one of the smartest prospects that the Weltergewicht division recently saw and tries to break into the top 10 with a victory over veteran Burns.
Burns has previously fought against dangerous strikers, such as Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson, Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev, who dropped the last two in high-stakes.