Las Vegas — Former UFC featherweight Shane Burgos is feeling both mentally and physically great ahead of his PFL debut on Friday night at the 2023 PFL 3 card.
Burgos (15-3) is making the move to lightweight, necessitated by the PFL’s schedule and quick turnaround between fights. There’s been a clear upside to that, as Burgos explained to media outlets including Cageside Press this week.
“Focusing on performance these last few weeks in training, and not just the weight, has been a weight off my shoulders,” Burgos said during Wednesday’s media day. “It’s been awesome just to focus on myself and not just a number on the scale.”
Right out of the gate, Burgos is facing the returning lightweight champ, Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Burgos’ mindset on that front is simple. “Right now I’m good. Why not take the hardest fight right off the bat?”
When it comes to OAM, a fellow UFC ex-pat, Burgos sees an improved fighter. “Anybody that goes through the season, let alone wins the season, but goes through it and wins it, he’s got something in him that’s different.”
Burgos is a newcomer to the season format, which means four fight in eight months for fighters that go to the final. That can shake up training camps, especially between regular season fights.
“I’m just going to kind of wing it,” Burgos said of his approach. “Everyone’s asking how training camp is going: this is just a regular training camp, because this is the first one. Ask me this for the next one. June 23 is my next fight, ask me how that training camp was. Because it’s definitely going to have to be different for every fight after this one.”
Lightweights (and welterweights) go last this season, with the league’s other weight classes getting underway earlier this month. Burgos has been sitting on the sidelines, watching and waiting.
“Being last on the bill, I’m chomping at the bit. It’s been cool to see how it goes a little bit before you jump in there, but I kind of wish I was the middle guy instead of the last one. But, close the show with a bang.”
If all goes well against Aubin-Mercier on Friday, Burgos knows he could see the Canadian again in the playoffs. Should the league opt to host a show north of the border, Burgos is down for it.
“Absolutely. I don’t care where. Anywhere,” Burgos exclaimed. “But they come to New York a lot, so don’t be surprised if they put us in New York. And that’s not enemy territory at all, I’ll pack that place out. And I think they know that, so I expect to be fighting in New York soon, honestly.”
Watch the full 2023 PFL 3 media day appearance by Shane Burgos above.
