Rising welterweight Sean Brady defeated former title challenger Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) in the UFC Fight Night main event Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The victory was the biggest of Brady’s career and likely puts him in line for a top-five opponent. Going into the bout, Burns was ranked No. 6 and Brady was No. 8.
Known for his suffocating wrestling, Brady shined on the feet in what was his most complete performance to date – and his first five-round fight. Brady outstruck Burns, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, 130-47 in significant strikes. He also completed seven of 17 takedowns, becoming the first person to earn three or more takedowns against Burns since 2016.
With the victory, Brady is now riding a two-fight winning streak and is 16-1 as a pro. The 31-year-old’s only career loss came against current UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad via second-round TKO in October 2022.
Burns, 38, has now lost three in a row for the first time in his career.
