Now at 38 years old, Burns looks to find victory and make one final run at the welterweight title after falling short in 2019.
On September 14, the UFC will head to Las Vegas for its first pay-per-view inside the Sphere and marking only the second time the venue will host a sporting event after the NHL Draft took place on June 28-29. Before Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili headline the historic card, the UFC will feature a Fight Night from its Apex in Las Vegas on September 7, with the main event outcome set to have a serious impact on the current state of the welterweight division.
Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady are both looking to become the number one contender to Belal Muhammad’s championship which he won off Leon Edwards at UFC 304. Burns made the switch to the welterweight division in 2019, showing off new capabilities and ascending up the rankings all the way to a title fight against Kamaru Usman in 2021, but he unfortunately fell short in that bout.
Even in losses, Burns seems to perform well and display the talents that make him a constant threat to any challenger within the division. He has all suffered losses to Khazmat Chimaev, who has since moved to the middleweight division, and was on his way to victory against Jack Della Maddalena before getting caught with a hail mary KO.
Having turned 38 years old this July, Burns has seemingly indicated he understands that this could be his final opportunity to make a run at the welterweight championship. While he has been quoted to say his body still feels as if he is 33 or even younger, father time catches up to every athlete eventually and approaching the age of 40 is typically a cutoff point in most sports. With a win over Brady on September 7, though, perhaps Burns can prove to UFC President and CEO Dana White as well as the rest of the fighting world that he is ready for another title chance sooner rather than later.
While Burns has settled into the welterweight rankings at number six, Brady has climbed up to number eight in a short time. He appeared to be a future title contender before running into Muhammad in 2022, but the loss has come to age well after Belal’s victory over Edwards and becoming the top fighter in the division. Following that defeat with a submission victory over veteran Kelvin Gastelum, Brady could possibly be the most physical grappler in the welterweight division and will put his skills to the test against Burns at the Fight Night event.
Burns will counter with a plethora of jiu-jitsu abilities and is one of the most feared strikers in the octagon today. How the two’s opposing talents will clash on September 7 remains as an intriguing decision for bettors to make when placing money on the fight. Currently, on William Hill sportsbook Brady is a -190 favorite, so the younger fighter appears to be receiving optimism from oddsmakers over the aging Burns, who stands as a +160 underdog for the bout. The most likely outcome according to William Hill is a Brady win by decision, having odds of +150, while a Brady KO/TKO victory or Burns by the same method are listed at +300 and +400 respectively.
In the co-main, women’s flyweight contender Natalia Silva will put her 11-fight win streak up against former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. Silva has quickly risen up the rankings in the flyweight division to become the eighth-ranked fighter while Andrade, in a fun coincidence from the main event, is the sixth-ranked fighter in the division. The surprising twist means both fights will feature the number six- and number eight-ranked fighters in their respective divisions. Silva is a heavy favorite in this bout due to her recent success and being five years younger than Andrade, who has built much wear and tear on her body throughout a long career.
Silva is -320 to claim victory on September 7 and Andrade is a +250 underdog as she, also like Burns, is seeking to make a possible final run at another championship before hanging up the fighting gloves. On William Hill, Silva is predicted to win by decision with odds of +100 or by KO/TKO at +250. Andrade is seen as quite the longshot especially with odds of +500 to win by a knockout of her own, or by decision which is currently listed with the same odds. While the fight may go down as a one-sided affair in favor of Silva, the odds seem to favor that it will be a hard-hitting affair and bring much excitement for viewers.
Featherweight competitor and KO specialist Steve Garcia will also be included on the card, as he goes up against Kyle Nelson. Neither fighter is ranked within the top 15 of the featherweight division, but perhaps a victory could bring notice to either fighter especially in a division hungry for new blood. Brian Ortega, Yair Rodriguez and Aljamain Sterling are all ranked in the top 10 of flyweights, but each has received championship opportunities in the past and are more likely to drop from their respective positions than see a rise in the near future.
Garcia is currently -185 to win over Nelson, having odds of +155 to pull off the upset at the UFC Apex and prove himself worthy of possibly competing for the flyweight championship at some point. Both fighters are motivated to prove themselves, however, so the match should provide ample entertainment for fans and bettors of the sport.
With UFC 306 quickly approaching on September 14, White and the UFC will seemingly flood the Las Vegas area with UFC events leading up to the historic pay-per-view. UFC 306 will be the first time the Sphere hosts a live and competitive sporting event, as the NHL Draft is more of an experience for fans and those around the league. As the sport continues to grow around the world and draw new viewership with every production, Fight Night cards and opportunities such as those presented to the fighters coming this Saturday are still vital to the UFC and its future.
Careers can be made and names are put on the map even at smaller events such as the one taking place on September 7, especially when you factor in the level of competition competing in this weekend’s edition. Between Burns, Brady, Andrade and Silva, recognizable fighters will highlight what is sure to be an interesting night for the respective futures of the UFC’s welterweight and flyweight divisions.
