Gilbert Burns will get what is unquestionably his biggest test to date when he faces fellow Brazilian Demian Maia at UFC Brasilia.
The UFC is looking to book another high-level grappler’s match-up for Demian Maia. Following his main event against Ben Askren at UFC Singapore last year, the next target for the veteran appears to be Gilbert Burns. Brazil’s Combate was first the report the news. The bout will take place at UFC Brasilia.
If it does come to pass, the all-Brazil showdown will see Maia (28-9) enter the bout on a three-fight win streak. The submission expert has not lost since meeting Kamaru Usman in 2018. Usman would go on to become champ with a win over Tyron Woodley. Maia, meanwhile, has strung together wins over Lyman Good, Anthony Rocco Martin, and then Askren. Two of the three came via sub, with only Martin going the distance.
At 42, Maia’s time in the sport is drawing to a close, but the former middleweight and welterweight title challenger is still a dangerous outing for any fighter. Gilbert Burns (17-3), however, is also a stud on the ground, with a number of gold medals in jiu-jitsu tournaments at the world level. Not to mention eight submission wins scattered across his professional MMA career.
Like Maia, Burns will enter UFC Brasilia on a solid win streak, having had his hand raised in his last four trips to the octagon. Most recently, ‘Durinho’ earned a unanimous decision against Gunnar Nelson at UFC Copenhagen.
UFC Brasilia takes place March 14, 2020 at the Ginásio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia, Brazil. The card currently breaks down as follows:
Johnny Walker vs. Nikita Krylov
Jussier Formiga vs. Brandon Moreno
Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant
Aleksei Kunchenko vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Makhmud Muradov
Enrique Barzola vs. Rani Yahya
Veronica Macedo vs. Bea Malecki
Maryna Moroz vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
Gilbert Burns vs. Demian Maia
