It is a case of contrasting fortunes for Gilbert Burns and his next opponent, Michael Morales. The two fighters will headline UFC Fight Night coming Saturday, and both need to win for very different reasons.
Burns is on a three-match losing streak, having come up short against difficult opponents in Sean Brady and the UFC 315 headliners, Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier, especially when you look at Morales’ record.
The Ecuadorian is on one of the hottest streaks in MMA. Aged 25, Morales has already clocked up an impressive 17-0 tally. Last time out, he took down veteran Neil Gagny in what was arguably his biggest scalp to date.
Speaking on an episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry, Burns was clearly impressed with Morales’ run in MMA so far. However, the wily Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist seemingly has a few aces up his sleeve that could give him an edge over the rising Ecuadorian.
“I see a lot of good things that he does. Long, the guy has a 79 inch reach, very long. 17 and 0, undefeated, 25 years old,” analyzed Burns. “Not a lot of knockouts in the UFC. Not a lot of experience.”
Burns remarked on the caliber of opponent that Morales has toppled, too, naming Jake Matthews and Neil Magny as the two biggest wins of his career.
“Very tough, well-rounded, good reach,” added Burns. “When I look at the guy and I know it’s going to be tough and I have a couple of guys on my team that can mimic their style, they can get me ready for the style. I just think I still have a lot in the tank.”
Gilbert Burns will be wary of the fate his brother Herbert suffered
As previously mentioned, Burns heads into the Morales fight on a three-match losing streak. Should he lose to the unbeaten Ecuadorian, there could be some serious questions posed by the UFC brass over Burns’ future.
The fate of his younger brother, Herbert Burns, will be fresh in his mind heading into the Fight Night main event. Herbert was removed from the UFC roster last October, following a much-criticized loss to Jack Jenkins at UFC 305.
The match ended in a third-round retirement for Herbert. After taking a flurry of punches from Jenkins while grounded, Herbert refused to stand up and continue, forcing the referee to end the fight. The performance was heavily denounced by fans and proved to be the last straw for the UFC brass.
Coincidentally, Herbert’s loss was his fourth in a row — a record that Gilbert will match should he lose to Morales on Saturday. While Gilbert finds himself in a similar situation, his recent losses have been at the hands of more difficult opponents. With 22 wins under his belt as well, Gilbert also possesses a better buffer to protect his UFC status.
