UFC on ESPN 9 results: Burns dominates Woodley for five rounds

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Gilbert Burns just schooled former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley for five rounds in the UFC on ESPN 9 main event.

The top of the UFC on ESPN 9 billing was just graced with the company’s #6 ranked welterweight, Gilbert Burns, running away with scorecards against the former champ, Tyron Woodley. Burns hurt Woodley right away and never let off the gas. The domination earned Burns two 50-44 cards and one 50-45 judgement. Defeating a former title holder is by far the biggest win of Burns’ career. This makes six-straight UFC victories for Gilbert, who is looking like a real deal title contender. For Woodley, it’s his second straight loss and the first losing streak of his career.

Burns rocked Woodley with the first flurry he threw. He pounced on the former champ, dropping him down to the canvas. A machine gun bump of ground strikes came flying in, but Woodley survived. Burns took the full mount and solidified the position, but as soon as he looked for something, Woodley exploded back to his feet. There was a nasty gash above the left eye of Woodley.

Woodley let his hands go to open the second round, catching Burns clean on the jaw. Burns hit a double leg takedown to put the former champ on his back. Woodley used the cage to stand back to his feet, where a lengthy positional struggle took place until the bell. Burns would land short shots here and there while stuffing all of the takedown attempts.

Burns pressed forward in the third round, mixing up his attacks and freezing Woodley against the cage. Woodley landed a couple of flush counter punches, but Burns started to add in his kicks. Woodley just couldn’t get himself off of the cage, and Burns was free to unload volume.

In the fourth frame, Woodley pressed Burns up against the cage, but didn’t do much before the referee separated them. Burns started to pump his jab and press his foe. He then threw a flurry of hooks that briefly dropped Tyron. Burns snagged a takedown and sprinkled down strikes as he controlled from the top. He even locked up an anaconda choke as time expired.

Woodley shoved his opponent against the fence again to start the final round, until the referee broke them up. Burns went back to his pressure game, but ate a couple power shots as he was looking for his shots. Woodley went back t clinching on the fence, but Burns was able to free himself that time. A couple of Hail Mary haymakers were launched by Woodley, but it was too little too late.

Gilbert Burns def. Tyron Woodley by unanimous decision (50-44 x2, 50-45): Welterweight