Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC
Gilbert Burns shined bright in his co-main event spot earlier tonight (Sat., Mar. 14, 2020) at UFC Fight Night 170 live on ESPN+ from inside Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil, when he put a stop to former UFC title challenger Demian Maia via first-round TKO (punches).
As expected, the two BJJ experts hit the mat in the early going. Maia seemed to have the advantage in most exchanges — even briefly getting back control with one hook in — but Burns was too strong to keep down. When the action returned to the feet “Durinho” was able to catch Maia with a perfectly-placed left hook. Maia hit the canvas like a sack of potatoes and Burns needed a few extra hammer fists to seal the deal.
Check out the stoppage above courtesy of UFC.
With this performance, Burns captures his fifth-straight victory (third in a row at 170 pounds) and proves he’s ready for yet another big fight in a talent-rich welterweight division. The 33-year-old veteran has looked tremendous over the past 15 months and called out Colby Covington after his TKO win over Maia. We’ll see if he gets it.
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