Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum and Island Fights lightweight champion Mike Davis gets a short notice opportunity, as he faces UFC veteran Gilbert Burns at UFC Fort Lauderdale.
“Beast Boy” will finally make the jump to the big leagues as Mike Davis gets a short notice contest against Brazil’s Gilbert Burns. Michael Fiedel of The Body Lock broke the news earlier today.
Davis replaces Eric Wisely, who was forced out of the bout due being diagnosed with a rare heart problem known as Wolff Parkinson White (WPW) – which is the same diagnosis former welterweight title-challenger Dan Hardy, which ended Hardy’s professional fighting career.
Mike Davis (7-1) competed as recently as last month as he submitted Carlos Guerra via first-round kimura at Island Fights 54 in a featherweight contest. The 26-year-old also won the Island Fights lightweight championship in December of 2018 at Island Fights 51, when he stopped Elvin Leon Brito in the third round. An Island Fights veteran, Davis will be looking to avenge his last performance in front of Dana White. Despite putting on an incredible show with Sodiq Yusuff (who is now 2-0 in the UFC), Davis lost via unanimous decision and that was the first (and only) loss in his professional career. Davis has finished all of his professional wins, six coming by way of knockout.
Burns (14-3) has struggled getting opponents for UFC Fort Lauderdale. The Brazilian was adamant to fight on the card due to training and fighting out of Boca Raton, Florida. Burns most recently fought at UFC 231, when he dominated Olivier Aubin-Mercier (11-4) via unanimous decision. The 32-year-old has been keeping busy though, as he submitted UFC veteran Gleison Tibau in a grappling bout at Titan FC 53 last month. Inside the Octagon, Burns has a steady record of six wins and four losses.
UFC Fort Lauderdale: Jacare vs. Hermansson takes place in Sunrise, Florida at the BB&T Center on April 27, 2019.
