Monster Energy congratulates Gilbert "Durinho" Burns on defeating Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal in the Welterweight Division fight at UFC 287 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, April 10, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A true battle of the beasts! Monster Energy congratulates Gilbert "Durinho" Burns on defeating Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal in the Welterweight Division fight at UFC 287 in Miami, Florida.
In Saturday night's co-main event fight inside Kaseya Center, the 36-year-old from Niterói, Brazil, went the distance for three brutal rounds to claim the victory by unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28).
UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 was contested in front of 19,600 spectators in attendance inside the sold-out Kaseya Center. The star-studded audience included celebrities such as boxing legend Mike Tyson, former US President Donald Trump, musician Kid Rock, and freshly announced UFC Hall of Fame inductee Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. The prelims were broadcast live on ESPN+, and the main card aired on ESPN pay-per-view.
Monster Energy's Burns (22-5) came to Miami fresh off a one-round submission victory over Neil Magny at UFC 283 in January 2023. His opponent, 38-year-old Miami hometown hero Masvidal (35-17), was looking to recover from high-profile losses in consecutive title bouts against then UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and a decision loss to Colby Covington at UFC 272 in March 2022.
The energy inside Kaseya Center was off the charts when Burns and Masvidal clashed in the Octagon on Saturday night. After gauging each other's defenses and looking for openings, Masvidal scored with low kicks before Burns connected a left jab and overhand right that rocked his opponent. Masvidal fired back with quick combinations and a flying knee that Burns blocked before landing several hard rights and scoring a takedown seconds until the bell.
In Round 2, Burns maintained his momentum with aggressive jabs before slamming Masvidal to the ground after 30 seconds. Masvidal showcased his impeccable submission defense and battled back to his feet, only to be floored again by Burns, who remained in control for most of the round.
The third round saw Masvidal pressuring the Brazilian with low kicks and a precise spinning right kick, but Burns landed several left jabs into a heavy right hand that visibly wobbled Masvidal. Sensing a chance to finish the fight, Burns fired big right hands and secured a takedown with two minutes left on the clock. The fight ended with Masvidal defending on the floor and demonstrating his resilience, with Burns raining elbows from the top position and controlling his back before the bell.
When the judges went to their scorecards, Burns was announced as the winner by unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) after a three-round battle in which no fighter held any punches.
Currently ranked as the number four contender in the UFC's 170-pound division, Burns has his eyes on another shot at the title – he lost to Kamaru Usman at UFC 258 – sooner than later.
"Man, I'm the only guy. The only guy in the whole UFC that is willing to fight anyone at any time. With that being said, Leon Edwards or Colby Covington, whoever is holding that belt, I'm coming for you!" said Burns after winning the co-main event fight at UFC 287 in Miami.
Right after the fight, Masvidal announced his retirement from a milestone-heavy professional MMA career spanning 20 years. Raised on South Florida's backyard bareknuckle fighting circuit, "Gamebred" shook up the UFC with a series of spectacular knockouts, including a record-setting five-second stoppage against Ben Askren at UFC 239. The "King of Miami" also earned the UFC's unique BMF Belt in a brutal fight against Nate Diaz and took two shots at the UFC Welterweight Championship title.
"It's been a long twenty years. Fifty something fights. Sometimes your favorite basketball player doesn't have that three-pointer anymore. Your favorite quarterback loses that rifle. I don't feel the same when I get in here anymore. It's been twenty long years," said Masvidal in his Octagon interview after the fight.
Gilbert Burns counts amongst Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes along with Kamaru Usman, Jon "Bones" Jones, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal, Chris "The All American" Weidman, Rose Namajunas, Tony Ferguson, Marlon Vera, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Maycee "The Future" Barber, Paulo "The Eraser" Costa, Stipe "Stone Cold" Miocic, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Jessica-Rose Clark, Valentina Shevchenko, Sean "Suga" O'Malley, Brandon Moreno, Daniel Rodriguez, Alex Pereira, Punahele Soriano, Giga "Ninja" Chikadze, and Islam Makhachev.
For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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