The ground game of Sean Brady seemed untouchable at UFC 328, as he put on an absolute clinic in a win over Joaquin Buckley.
Brady scored four takedowns over the course of the 15-minute fight, gaining just over 12 minutes of control time. Buckley was able to get up at times, but Brady’s pressure just proved to be too much.
Brady, in fact, landed 71 significant ground strikes and landed a total of 245 strikes during the bout. Brady swept the judges’ scorecards, with two judges giving Brady two 10-8 rounds for near finishes — both via TKO and submission.
Sean Brady Shuts Out Joaquin Buckley At UFC 328
Sean Brady absolutely schooled Joaquin Buckley for three rounds on the ground. Dominant win for Brady. #UFC328
Brady rebounds from his loss to Michael Morales at UFC 322. That loss had snapped a three-fight losing streak. The only other fighter to defeat Brady is former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
Buckley has now dropped two fights, coming into this bout off a loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta in June 2025. That loss snapped a six-fight win streak Buckley was previously on.
Two men looking to break into the upper echelon of the welterweight contender scene will do battle in the main event of UFC Vegas 116, as Sean Brady takes on Joaquin Buckley.
The UFC confirmed the bout in an announcement during the UFC Houston broadcast.
MAKE OR BREAK! ⛓️💥
Sean Brady & @NewMansa94 go at it for five rounds inside the Meta APEX!
Both men are coming in off losses but are still ranked in the top 10 at 170 pounds, and a strong performance could gain the winner a top-five opponent.
Brady comes into this bout off a loss to Michael Morales at UFC 322 in November. He had won three straight prior to that and was once 15-0 before running into then-future welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
Buckley last fought this past June, dropping a decision to the returning former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta. Prior to that, Buckley had won six straight and hadn’t lost since 2022.
UFC Vegas 116 takes place on April 25 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Michael Morales may be next in line for a shot at the UFC welterweight championship after scoring a first-round finish of Sean Brady in a title eliminator at UFC 322.
Despite the reach disadvantage in this one, Brady tried to get his striking going in the early portion of the fight. But things changed when Morales landed a flurry that stunned and dropped Brady.
Brady got back up but continued to get tagged by Morales. Another combination dropped Brady, with follow-up shots prompting the referee to wave off the fight.
Michael Morales Bests Sean Brady In Welterweight Title Eliminator At UFC 322
It's so crazy to picture future fights of Islam vs guys like Carlos Prates & Michael Morales lmao.
These guys are fucking NUTS. Welterweight is an INSANE division right now.
UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady believes that Jack Della Maddalena has what it takes to defeat Islam Makhachev at UFC 322.
In the main event of UFC 322, Jack Della Maddalena will take on an incredibly tough assignment. He will be locking horns with Islam Makhachev, who is moving up from 155 pounds in order to try and win a second world title. While a lot of people are backing Islam to get it done, JDM is the kind of fighter who has proven the masses wrong before – and on multiple occasions.
The rest of the welterweight division, understandably, will be watching closely to see how it plays out. In a recent podcast appearance, Sean Brady explained why he favors Jack Della Maddalena here.
Sean Brady backs Jack Della Maddalena
“I think it’s a lot tougher of a fight for Islam than people are giving Jack credit for,” Brady said on UFC Unfiltered. “Jack’s very hard to hold down. He’s a big body, hits like a freight train, has knockout power and he’s showed that getting someone down doesn’t mean d*ck. Can you hold him down? Jack’s really good at creating scrambles, getting back to his feet, separating the hands. Like, we’d seen that with Belal.
“Gilbert (Burns) did better at taking Jack down than Belal did. He had better positions on him, but I don’t know. Selfishly for me, I want Islam to win because I want to fight Islam for a legacy thing, and I think I can beat Islam. I think I can beat anybody in the world, and I want my grappling to go against his grappling and see who’s better. I really would love for that to play out. But if I had to pick, and I know Jack would be the underdog, I would pick Jack.”
Currently ranked as the number one contender in the UFC welterweight division, Sean Brady has expressed frustration after being omitted from Daniel Cormier’s list of top five welterweights during a recent interview.
Sean Brady Snubbed by Daniel Cormier
The US-born Sean Brady, who secured his position at the top of the division following a decisive win streak and a dominant performance against Leon Edwards at UFC London. Apparently he confronted hall of fame Cormier about the oversight during a weigh-in show.
According to Brady, Cormier appeared surprised and unable to justify the omission when questioned directly. Brady stated, “I’m number one and you didn’t even put me on the list,” highlighting his disappointment at not being recognized among the division’s elite despite his recent achievements. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, he said:
“I’m listening to DC do an interview with Brett Okamoto. And he’s naming his top five welterweights and I’m not on the list. So I confronted him on the weigh in show, he didn’t know what to say he was flabbergasted. Dude, I’m number one and you didn’t even put me on the list.”
Following UFC 315, the welterweight title landscape has shifted. Jack Della Maddalena emerged as the new UFC welterweight champion after defeating Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision in Montreal. Speculation has already begun about his next opponent, with potential challengers including lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and several top-ranked welterweights. Despite Sean Brady’s number one contender status, the immediate title picture may involve a super-fight or other contenders, leaving Brady and others waiting for their opportunity. Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov remain at the top of the rankings alongside Sean Brady.
Sean Brady holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and began his martial arts journey after being introduced to the sport by a friend. He first made a name for himself on the regional scene, capturing the Cage Fury Fighting Championships welterweight title and entering the UFC with an undefeated record. Known for his grappling skills and evolving striking game, Brady has built a reputation as a well-rounded and disciplined fighter. Since joining the UFC in 2019, he has recorded notable victories over opponents such as Kelvin Gastelum, Michael Chiesa, and Jake Matthews, and is recognized for his ability to finish fights by submission.
Sean Brady’s exclusion from Cormier’s rankings has drawn attention, especially given Brady’s current standing and recent accomplishments. Brady remains focused on his career, expressing readiness to face any top contender or to compete for the title.
Edwards made the walk in front of his home fans this past weekend, hoping to bounce back from his title loss to rival Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in Manchester last July. To do so, he was tasked with getting past Sean Brady.
The Philadelphian proved to be a hurdle too tall for “Rocky,” however, as the grappling specialist once again exposed holes in the Brit’s wrestling game en route to a fourth-round guillotine submission.
While appearing on ESPN’s UFC Post Show in the aftermath of his victory, Brady reflected on one particular turning point in the fight. During the third frame, after finding striking success, Edwards left most baffled when he chose to change levels and attempt a takedown.
Brady was quick to defend against the shot and reverse position — a danger Edwards was apparently quick to realize once his takedown failed.
“Horrible idea,” Sean Brady said of Leon Edwards’ takedown attempt. “I was like, ‘Thank you!’ He said — I think he said, ‘Oh, f*ck!’ He said something. Like, he knew he f*cked up. I was very happy when he did that.”
Having defeated a former champion and the #1-ranked contender at 170 pounds, Brady’s championship hopes got a sizable boost as a result of his trip across the pond.
Edwards, meanwhile, now finds himself with a first stoppage defeat and the opening losing skid of his professional MMA career.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from The O2 arena in London, England, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, welterweights Leon Edwards and Sean Brady clashed. While in the co-main event, Jan Blachowicz faced Carlos Ulberg in a light heavyweight matchup.
UFC Results: Main Card
Welterweight: Sean Brady def. Leon Edwards via submission: R4, 1.39
Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Jan Blachowicz via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland def. Gunnar Nelson via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Sean Brady may have made his case for a welterweight title shot — or at worse, be one step away from a title shot — after finishing former champion Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC London.
Edwards appeared to get to a head start after the first round. He defended Brady’s takedown attempts more than once and focused on attacking the body in the meantime. The American, to his credit, landed a solid flurry during the round and scored a late takedown.
Brady caught the former champion by surprise and scored a takedown mere seconds into the second frame. The wrestling specialist had complete control for a while, and when Edwards looked to break out, Brady looked for a guillotine.
From side control, the Philadelphia standout then looked for a kimura. Brady managed to work his way into full mount and to the back of Edwards, landing ground-and-pound against the Brit’s movement and defenses.
Sean Brady Submits Leon Edwards In UFC London Main Event
Brady pressed forward at the start of the third round. Edwards went for a takedown of his own and got caught, with his opponent threatening a choke for several seconds. Brady got back into full mount, eventually landing several head shots that cut open the former champion. Brady continued to dominate with top control, overwhelming and controlling a tiring Edwards.
The fight found its way back to the ground in the fourth, where Brady was able to quickly lock up a guillotine choke and score a submission.
Sean Brady has now won three straight, with the sole loss in his professional MMA career coming against the current welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad.
This loss marked Leon Edwards’ first fight since losing the welterweight title to Muhammad at UFC 304 last July.
UFC London takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
The upcoming UFC Fight Night event at The O2 in London, England, provides a chance for ex-welterweight champion Leon Edwards to bounce back after losing the title to Belal Muhammad last July. To return to winning ways, “Rocky” must get the better of another grappling specialist in Philadelphia’s Sean Brady.
Co-headlining will be former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, who will look to reinsert his name into the title conversation at 205 pounds almost two years on from his last bout opposite Alex Pereira. In his return, the Polish standout is tasked with defending his ranking against Carlos Ulberg.
Elsewhere on the card, the likes of Gunnar Nelson, Molly McCann, Morgan Charriere, Nathaniel Wood, Jai Herbert, and Mick Parkin mark some of the European names looking to impress close to home.
Topping the lineup will be former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards. After losing his grip on the title courtesy of Belal Muhammad’s efforts last July, “Rocky” will look to get back on track opposite another grappling specialist in Philadelphia’s Sean Brady.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see ranked light heavyweight contenders Jan Blachowicz and Carlos Ulberg collide. The Polish ex-champ will be returning having overcome shoulder injuries that kept him away for close to two years. He’s tasked with stalling the rise of “Black Jag,” who has won seven straight and most recently beat Volkan Oezdemir to reach #6 in the rankings.
Headlining will be former welterweight champion Leon Edwards. After losing his grip on the title courtesy of Belal Muhammad’s efforts last July, “Rocky” will look to immediately bounce back on home soil at the expense of another grappling specialist in Sean Brady.
Elsewhere, the likes of Jan Blachowicz, Molly McCann, Gunnar Nelson, Nathaniel Wood, and Mick Parkin will all be in action
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady takes place on Saturday, March 22, at The O2 in London, England. The main card begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.
Main Card:
Welterweight: Leon Edwards (171lbs) vs. Sean Brady (170lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Jan Blachowicz (205lbs) vs. Carlos Ulberg (205lbs)
Welterweight: Gunnar Nelson (170lbs) vs. Kevin Holland (171lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Molly McCann (116lbs) vs. Alexia Thainara (116lbs)
Lightweight: Jordan Vucenic (155lbs) vs. Chris Duncan (155lbs)
Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood (145lbs) vs. Morgan Charriere (146lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Lightweight: Jai Herbert (156lbs) vs. Chris Padilla (155lbs)
Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh (126lbs) vs. Felipe dos Santos (125lbs)
Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura (250lbs) vs. Mick Parkin (260lbs)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (186lbs) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon (116lbs) vs. Puja Tomar (116lbs)
Bantamweight: Nathan Fletcher (135lbs) vs. Caolan Loughran (136lbs)
Lightweight: Guram Kutateladze (155lbs) vs. Kaue Fernandes (155lbs)
This fight marks Edwards’ return since losing his title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 last summer. Brady, meanwhile, steps in for Jack Della Maddalena, who was moved to a title shot.
The betting odds have shifted significantly this week, with Brady’s opening odds of -125 moving to -170 due to increased betting activity on him.
Brady has a strong submission record, with all three of his UFC finishes coming via submission, including a kimura victory over Kelvin Gastelum. He is considered a strong contender in the welterweight division.
Edwards has been taken down three or more times in six UFC fights. And despite victories over Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, Sean Brady saw plenty of holes in the Brit’s game.
While speaking with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Brady explained that he doesn’t pay attention to the odds for the fight but is unsurprised that he’s favored over the ex-titleholder.
“I mean, I guess if I was to analyze it and take myself out of it, if you look at the styles…man’s been fighting grab orders his whole life, but a lot of them have given him trouble. You know, he was losing the Kamaru fight until he landed the head kick. I personally thought the third Kamaru fight was a lot closer than what people make it seem to be like. You could argue that fight for Kamaru. And then Belal did what Belal did to him.
“If you look at ages of a lot of the guys he’s fighting, they’re a lot older, kind of at the end of his career. So I can understand why the odds are the way they are. But like I said, I’m not into any of that,” Sean Brady continued. “When I’m fighting, I’m ready for the best Leon Edwards, and you’re going to get the best Sean Brady.”
Sean Brady says he pays no attention to the odds surrounding his bout with Leon Edwards…but understands why he is the favorite on Saturday #UFCLondon
UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad believes the memory of his dominance over Leon Edwards will play a part in this weekend’s main event.
Edwards is set to return to action on Saturday for the first time since losing his grip on the 170-pound gold last July. “Rocky” was comfortably beaten by Muhammad across five rounds in the UFC 304 headliner.
Edwards anticipates a victory earning him a shot at regaining the welterweight title. The man who took it from him, however, doesn’t foresee a victory on home soil for the Brit.
“Remember the Name” pointed to such remarks as evidence that his longtime rival is “weak mentally,” and predicted that the memory of UFC 304 will ultimately hamper Edwards when he makes the walk in a few days’ time.
This guys full of excuses that’s why Brady will beat him ..I predict once Brady gets him down two or three times he’ll find a submission ..because Leon’s weak mentally and he’ll have flash backs from what I did to him https://t.co/QxeSJU8htz
“This guys full of excuses that’s why Brady will beat him,” Muhammad wrote on X. “I predict once Brady gets him down two or three times he’ll find a submission…because Leon’s weak mentally and he’ll have flash backs from what I did to him”
While Leon Edwards looks to prove the champ wrong this weekend, Belal Muhammad will soon return to action himself.
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping believes Sean Brady is a more difficult matchup for Leon Edwards than Jack Della Maddalena.
In recent developments, UFC boss Dana White took to Instagram and made a massive 14-fight announcement, including main events for the upcoming UFC 314 and UFC 315 cards.
The announcement included a big change to the UFC Fight Night London main event. Originally, Edwards was scheduled to face the No. 4-ranked welterweight Maddalena in London on March 22, 2025. However, after Maddalena’s shift to UFC 315, “Rocky” will face a short-notice replacement in Brady who is coming off consecutive decision wins over Gilbert Burns and Kelvin Gastelum.
Bisping believes this upheaval can make things worse for Edwards who would definitely want to enter the win column after soundly losing his UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad.
“Della Maddalena versus Leon—that’s off, and Sean Brady steps in. This is kind of a nightmare situation for Leon Edwards. I’m not saying Leon can’t beat him, but stylistically, and on short notice, this is a very, very different fight and potentially a harder fight than Jack Della Maddalena. Styles make fights. Leon is a sniper on the feet. Of course, he’s got great takedown defense. He was able to take down Kamaru Usman, fully mounted, and all the rest of it, right? We know he’s well-rounded.”
Although Bisping is confident about Edwards’s accurate striking, he is concerned about Brady’s wrestling-heavy style which is very different from Maddalena’s crisp boxing.
“But when you’re training for Jack Della Maddalena and you’re focusing on boxing and pretty much a standup affair, and you’re not really working on the takedown defense and defending chokes and all the variety of madness in the Jiu-Jitsu world that Sean Brady does offer, it’s a big mix-up. Now granted, all the work that he’s done in the past to beat Kamaru Usman, to fight and go up against Belal Muhammad—that’s all in the tank, okay? It’s like if you go out there and you win a fight really, really quickly, and people think, “Why did I bother? Why did I bother training?” No, the reason you did that is because you still leveled up in training camp. Your skill set overall got better.”
Talking about Edward’s previous opponents, Bisping further added how Brady would bring in problems similar to the current champ Muhammad.
“So, Leon’s been preparing for these kinds of fights his entire career, right? Everyone that Leon Edwards fights, whether it’s Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad—they’re all trying to take him down. So, in a way, nothing changes for him. Yes, it’s not Jack Della Maddalena trying to box him, trying to piece him up on the feet. It’s Sean Brady, who’s very, very good, that dominated Gilbert Burns last time out, that’s going to be looking to take him down. So, it’s the exact same fight, essentially, almost on paper, stylistically, that Leon had in Manchester last year when he lost the belt. That’s why I say it’s a bit of a nightmare.”
However, Bisping is impressed with Edward’s will to accept Brady as a new opponent on short notice even when it could potentially ruin his return to the UFC welterweight title picture.
Gilbert Burns recently confessed that his decision to follow advice from multiple nutritionists was a costly error, one that ultimately contributed to his loss against Sean Brady.
Burns was hopeful that a victory over Brady would put him back on the road to championship contention. Heading into fight week, he was confident in both his training and recovery, feeling physically prepared. Yet, he still wasn’t able to perform at his full potential when it mattered most.
The 38-year-old Brazilian was dismayed by his showing. However, in the aftermath of the loss, he has finally pieced together what went wrong in the lead-up to the bout…
Burns Attributes Bad Weight Cut On Confusion With Multiple Nutritionists
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Burns opened up about his loss to Brady, revealing that his preparation was compromised by poor decision-making. “Durinho” admitted that leading up to the fight, he consulted several nutritionists and then complicated matters by blending their advice with his own approach.
This misstep led to a problematic weight cut, which ultimately reflected in the fight, as he felt lethargic and lacked his usual sharpness in movement.
“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I had a lot of energy; I felt great,” Burns said. “But Thursday I had a hard weight cut at night, and Friday morning I had a very hard weight cut in the morning, and I think that was the result. That’s why I think I felt very sluggish. I felt bad, but I do believe it was my recovery. Before I point fingers at everyone, I have my nutritionist, Marcelo Ferro, who does an amazing job. But my mistake was listening to two other nutritionists and the UFC a little bit.”
“So, another nutritionist that is a good friend of mine, Lucas, and coach Carl Gebhardt—I went to California to do all the tasks, and instead of doing the things that I do with Marcelo, I was kind of doing a little bit of coach Carl, a little bit of Marcelo, and a little bit of Lucas. So, at the end of the day, I didn’t follow through with anyone’s plan. I took a little bit from each one and kind of did my own plan. So when I made weight, I did great, but when I saw the recovery, I did a little bit from all three nutritionists, and it kind of didn’t work out.”
Burns said in a backstage interview with the UFC that he’s uncertain about the future of his career. His last victory came at UFC 287 in April 2023 against Jorge Masvidal. “Durinho” once rode the momentum of a six-fight win streak, but since his failed bid at the title against former champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 258 in February 2021, he has struggled to regain his footing with a consistent winning run.
And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Gilbert Burns vs. Sean Brady, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Israel Adesanya has found himself off the P4P list for the first time in years. Weeks on from his failed bid to achieve three-time champ status against middleweight kinpgin Dricus Du Plessis, “The Last Stylebender” has lost his #15 spot to former bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Natália Silva’s triumph over Jéssica Andrade on Saturday was enough to elevate her into the female P4P discussion. She’s debuted in the rankings at #14, leading to Ketlen Vieira falling out entirely. Above her, Andrade has slipped by two positions to #13, providing small boosts for Kayla Harrison (#11) and Virna Jandiroba (#12).
At #UFCVegas97, Natalia Silva extended her win streak to 6 🔥
Women’s Flyweight: As expected, Silva has slotted in one place outside the top five at 125 pounds, occupying Andrade’s previous position. That’s left the former strawweight queen two spots worse off at #8.
Women’s Bantamweight: After Pannie Kianzad parted ways with the UFC, she’s been removed from the 135-pound rankings. Her vacant spot has been filled by Ailín Pérez (#15). Further up, Norma Dumont (#8) has moved above her fellow countrywoman Karol Rosa (#9).
Flyweight: While he hung up his gloves this past weekend, Matt Schnell has remained ranked for the time being. His loss to Cody Durden has seen him fall three places to #13, with his victorious opponent up two spots to #12.
Bantamweight: No changes.
Featherweight: Bizarrely, the surging Diego Lopes has fallen at 145 pounds just days out from his showdown with Brian Ortega at Noche UFC. Previously ranked #12, the Mexico-based Brazilian has dropped one place behind Bryce Mitchell. That’s despite the Arkansas native not being in action since a brutal knockout loss to Josh Emmett last December.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: Sean Brady is within touching distance of the top five at 170 pounds following his main event win over Gilbert Burns. While he’s risen to #6, “Durinho” has fallen to #8. Lower down, Kevin Holland has returned to the rankings at #15, a spot he shares with Neil Magny. That’s despite “Trailblazer” being scheduled to stay at middleweight for the time being.
UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady has big fights in his sights after likely moving close to the top five with a victory over Gilbert Burns this past weekend.
Brady made it two wins on the bounce in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event. Since suffering his first career defeat at the hands of then-future champion Belal Muhammad in 2022 and subsequently missing 14 months through injury, the 31-year-old has gotten the better of Kelvin Gastelum and now “Durinho.”
Having beaten the #6 contender, Brady can expect to find himself within touching distance of the title picture come the next rankings update. And to break into it, he wouldn’t mind facing the man occupying #5…
Brady Keen For Covington Clash After UFC Fight Night Main Event Win
During Saturday’s post-fight press conference, Brady reflected on his first main event win on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
In terms of what could come next as a result, Brady had a couple of names in mind, one of whom’s career is in limbo following a third failed bid for title glory last time out.
“I’ll fight Colby (Covington). I think Colby is the easiest matchup in the division. I’ll piece him up on the feet. I’ll rag doll him,” Covington said. “I’ll fight Colby in a heartbeat. UFC, please give me Colby, I will murder him. He shouldn’t even be ranked. When’s the last time he fought?”
Covington wasn’t the only notable name on Brady’s lips at the Apex. Both inside the Octagon and at the presser, the Philadelphia standout staked his claim for the chance to blemish the perfect record of Ian Garry.
Sean Brady just emerged victorious in his first UFC main event against Gilbert Burns. The welterweight prospect lost to Belal Muhammad via TKO in October 2022 which led to many doubting his ability to win the title.
However, Brady has bounced back by beating big names like Kelvin Gastelum and Burns consecutively since that loss. He submitted Gastelum in the third and put on a dominant performance against “Durinho” to restart his welterweight title run.
Brady seems more than ready to take on another top contender, and he’s interestingly credited Muhammad for his recent success…
Sean Brady Talks About The Positive Impact Of Losing His Undefeated Status Against Belal Muhammad
At the UFC Fight Night Post Show on ESPN MMA, Brady was asked about his statement that he would beat Muhammad nine times out of ten. He still agreed to it but highlighted that he didn’t mean to be disrespectful.
The main-event winner praised the champion’s skills and admitted to not appreciating the hate he gets. At the same time, though, Brady also pointed out how nervous he was going into his fight with Muhammad.
Brady fought with “Remember the Name” while boasting an impressive 15-0 record. He talked about having bad dreams regarding losing the fight and his undefeated status. The pressure of maintaining his perfect record got to him but after the loss, Brady actually felt relieved.
“I personally like Belal. I don’t like the hate that Belal’s always gotten. I think he deserves to be where he’s at. He’s an amazing fighter but that night, I beat myself. I was having dreams that entire week, I was going to lose the fight and it was close. I was undefeated and I felt like my entire identity was wrapped into me being this undefeated fighter.”
Brady rightly mentioned that he’s put on two of his best performances against two of the toughest opponents in his career since losing to Muhammad. He aims to fight Ian Garry or Colby Covington next and finally secure a welterweight title shot.
“I put so much pressure on myself. The moment I lost that fight, I was like I’m going to be a completely different fighter and my next two performances after that were my two best performances against the hardest guys I’ve ever fought.”
Though not all fans were happy about the performance, the rising Sean Brady earned the biggest win of his MMA career thus far on Saturday night, defeating Gilbert Burns in the UFC Fight Night main event.
Brady brought most of the activity in a relatively quiet opening round. He continued his pace into the second, although Burns’ power was on display from the get-go, stumbling his American counterpart early with a right hand.
Burns appeared to land some of the fight’s strongest shots in the third frame, seemingly damaging Brady in a stuff and scramble. The Philadelphia native, however, managed to land knees to the body, fighting back and scoring the takedown to close out a highlight sequence featuring the two men.
Brady’s activity did not slow down in the fourth round, with many believing Burns needed to turn up the aggression and let his hands go in the fifth stanza. “Durinho” partially landed a jumping knee, but it wasn’t enough.
The favored American was able to score a takedown, riding out the round on top and scoring the unanimous nod from the judges.
Sean Brady Scores Decision Win Over Former Title Challenger Gilbert Burns
Brady has now won back-to-back fights after suffering the lone loss of his MMA career against current welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in October 2022.
Former welterweight title challenger Burns, meanwhile, has now lost three straight.
The headline spot fell in the welterweight division, where former title challenger Gilbert Burns attempted to defend his #6 spot on the ladder and keep his hopes of a late-career second opportunity at the gold alive at the expense of Sean Brady.
“Durinho” ultimately failed in that mission, with his Philadelphian opponent putting on a dominant display en route to a lopsided unanimous decision victory.
Before that, a former champion was in action as ex-strawweight queen Jéssica Andrade shared the cage with her surging fellow countrywoman Natália Silva. The latter put on another striking masterclass to earn the nod from all three judges, catapulting her into the title picture at 125 pounds.
With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!
UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Brady Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Sean Brady def. Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
UFC Fight Night: Gilbert Burns vs. Sean Brady takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!
After a brief break from action, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back to put on another card at the Apex facility in Las Vegas.
Topping the lineup will be a crucial clash of ranked contenders in the welterweight division, with former title challenger Gilbert Burns and the highly regarded Sean Brady both looking to put themselves in a strong position within the title picture.
Elsewhere, the likes of former UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade, the always entertaining Steve Garcia, brawler Trevor Peek, and Ovince Saint Preux will all have their next assignments inside the Octagon.
UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Brady Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Brady takes place on Saturday, September 7, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Gilbert Burns (171lbs) vs. Sean Brady (171lbs)
UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns is planning to make a statement at Sean Brady’s expense on Saturday night.
The pair will headline this weekend’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex in Las Vegas, with Burns tasked with defending his #6 position on the divisional ladder off the back of consecutive defeats.
Although he was just less than two minutes away from a crucial bounce-back victory on the scorecards, he was the victim of a late comeback from Jack Della Maddalena, who rallied to stop him by way of TKO.
That’s left the 38-year-old in desperate need of a return to winning ways. But more than just rebounding, the Brazilian sees a chance to move to within touching distance of the title against a former opponent of Muhammad’s…
Burns Envisions Emphatic Finish Of Brady To Secure Title Eliminator
During a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Burns looked ahead to his second Octagon assignment of 2024, detailing his hopes for fight night and what he anticipates coming as a result of a strong display.
Despite losing two on the bounce and slipping outside the top five at 170 pounds, “Durinho” believes the manner of his performance this weekend could determine whether he earns a title eliminator next time out, especially if he can go above and beyond what now-champ Muhammad accomplished at Brady’s expense back in 2022.
“I do believe if I go out there and look phenomenal against Sean Brady, then I get another guy, maybe Leon (Edwards), Colby (Covington), Kamaru (Usman). Then beat one of those guys, then I’m there, on the top,” Burns said. “I do believe if I do my homework this Saturday good, show up there and finish Sean Brady, you know, better than Belal did — if I go out there and after that, for sure rest a little bit, come back with a good training camp and beat one of the top guys, I’m there fighting for the title.”
Burns will look to move closer to his late-career second title shot coming to fruition this weekend by making good on his vow to stop Brady in violent fashion when they headline Saturday’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex.
Gilbert Burns recently shared his thoughts on whether Sean Brady poses a legitimate threat on the ground, given his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Burns is gearing up to face Brady in a crucial welterweight showdown, set to headline this weekend’s Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Durinho” has been absent from the Octagon since suffering a third-round knockout at the hands of Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299 this past March. That setback came just two months after another tough loss, when the 38-year-old Brazilian veteran was defeated by newly crowned welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 in May 2023.
Meanwhile, Brady is stepping into uncharted territory with his first-ever five-round bout under the UFC banner. The 31-year-old American has only gone past the third round once in his career. In his last appearance, he secured an impressive submission victory over seasoned veteran Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night Austin last December, bouncing back from the first setback of his career against Muhammad at UFC 280 in October 2022.
Burns is a formidable force on the mat, a dangerous grappler who has dominated since his return to the welterweight division in 2019, racking up the second-highest number of takedowns in the division. On the other hand, Brady is no slouch on the ground either, bringing his own savage submission game to the table, potentially making their matchup a fascinating chess contest of technical prowess and ground control…
Burns Holds Brady’s Grappling Skills In High Regard
During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, Burns was asked to weigh in on just how dangerous he believes Brady’s grappling game truly is. As a decorated BJJ black belt world champion himself, ‘Durinho’ acknowledged that his opponent is far from an ordinary grappler, noting that Brady trains under the tutelage of BJJ legend Daniel Gracie.
“He’s legit. His coach is Daniel Gracie, you know. Daniel Gracie grew up with Renzo [Gracie], so he’s very, very good,” Burns said. “Daniel Gracie saw Brady since he was a kid, so he’s a legit black belt.”
Burns went on to highlight Brady’s impressive grappling credentials, pointing out that Brady managed to defeat ADCC submission champion Craig Jones—an accomplishment that Burns himself couldn’t achieve.
“He beat Craig Jones even when [the bout] was set with no leg locks. When I lost to Craig Jones, it was with leg locks—he went quick on my leg. So, Sean Brady beat him under no leg lock rules. Yeah, he’s a great fighter.”
“Durinho” is currently navigating the first back-to-back losses of his career, and he’s well aware that the outcome on Saturday night carries critical weight if he hopes to climb back into title contention.
The pair first collided back in 2021, with an accidental eye poke rendering Muhammad unable to continue. While “Rocky” went on to capture the belt the following year, “Remember the Name” has been working his way toward a shot of his own and a rematch with the Brit.
A major step on that journey came in the Middle East in October 2022 when Muhammad shared the Octagon with then-undefeated up-and-comer Sean Brady. While renowned for his grappling game, the Chicago standout showed new wrinkles to his game by piecing Brady up on the feet en route to a second-round TKO.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Muhammad vs. Brady fight from UFC 280 on its official YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1j7-FaJDws
Muhammad is looking to put in a similarly impressive display this weekend to unseat Edwards, vowing to finish the reigning welterweight kingpin before reaching the championship rounds in the UFC 304 main event.
Undefeated UFC welterweight Sean Brady believes a fight with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson is the only matchup that makes sense for him next.
After a perfect 4-0 start on MMA’s biggest stage, which included a 2021 submission victory over Jake Matthews, Brady had his chance to break into the group of contenders at UFC Vegas 43 in November. He faced the challenge of promotional veteran Michael Chiesa, a man who boasts the names of Neil Magny, Rafael dos Anjos, and Beneil Dariush on his résumé.
In a controlling performance, Brady extended his unblemished record to 15-0 with a unanimous decision triumph over “Maverick.” In doing so, he rose to #9 in the UFC welterweight rankings. With that in mind, he’s targeting a big name for his next Octagon outing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWhOIL1oh9P/
Brady Hopes To Use Thompson As A Stepping Stone Up The WW Ladder
While Brady surged up the welterweight ladder in 2021, one top veteran went in the opposite direction. At the start of the year, Stephen Thompson was riding a two-fight win streak and, as one of the few high-ranked names yet to challenge Kamaru Usman, had aspirations of a title shot.
Fast forward to the start of 2022 and the script has flipped for “Wonderboy.” Defeats to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad have left him in need of a rebound performance to keep his hopes of a third championship opportunity alive.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Brady offered to give Thompson that chance. Discussing his options in 2022, the 29-year-old suggested there aren’t many beyond “Wonderboy.”
“It’s a weird division,” Brady said. “Honestly, I’m nine, Wonderboy’s seven, I don’t really see any other options right now. I know the guys in the top five, they only want guys higher than them or a title fight, and then Neil Magny and me are training partners, we’re not fighting each other, and there’s Masvidal; I’m realistic, I know I’m not getting that fight. So I think me and Wonderboy would be a great fight.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUsiFUyLGte/
With Brady evidently ruling out a clash with teammate Magny, that leaves the UFC with two pairs of training partners refusing to fight inside the 170-pound top 10, top-five contenders Burns and Vicente Luque being the other.
Nevertheless, should Brady fight and beat Thompson, avoiding a clash with “The Haitian Sensation” shouldn’t be an issue, as he’ll be well on his way towards title contention and not far from a shot at “The Nigerian Nightmare.”
How do you think a fight between Sean Brady and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson would play out?
