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Herbert Burns wants to be UFC's next big star, starting with impressive finish at DWCS 23

Another Burns is looking to join the UFC roster.

Younger brother of UFC welterweight Gilbert Burns, Herbert Burns will get an opportunity to join his sibling on the roster when he takes on Darrick Minner at Dana White’s Contender Series 23 on Aug. 6.

With all six of his career finishes coming by the way of submission, Burns (8-2) knows what the Contender Series can mean for his career. He’s seen it be a proven successful launching pad for the likes of Sean O’Malley and Greg Hardy, both of whom had emphatic finishes, and he, too, looks to deliver on Tuesday night.

But he wants his fighting to do the talking.

“My mindset is always to get a finish,” Burns said. “I never plan on going to decision. I know that Dana White wants a new star. ‘Contenders’ is a different show. In the UFC or on ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ you can win by playing it safe. In the ‘Contenders’ show, everyone is talented enough to be in the UFC.

“Dana is looking for a new star. Guys like Sean O’Malley and Greg Hardy did that. I want to follow their path, but in my own style. I don’t have to act like a bad boy. I just have to show my aggressive and technical game, both on the feet and on the ground. An impressive win will get me this contract. I want to prove my worth again. I am championship material. I will make a statement.” 

Having fought the majority of his MMA career in Asia under the ONE Championship banner, “The Blaze” believes he’s ready for the big show. A few ups and downs led him to Titan FC, and he was already able to impress White, who was front row for his last win over Luis Gomez during the filming of “Lookin’ for a Fight.”

Burns broke down the full journey that led him to Tuesday night.

“My MMA career happened mostly in Asia, at ONE,” Burns told MMA Junkie. “I had already made a good name for myself in jiu-jitsu, where I won several titles. As soon as I transitioned to MMA, I had a single bout in Brazil, and I was picked up by ONE to fight in Asia. I beat very experienced fighters like Honorio Banario, Timofey Nastyukhin, Harris Sarmiento, and Hiroshige Tanaka. After that, there was a hiatus in my career. I had some contractual problems with ONE Championship (between 2015 and 2017). When I came back, they had changed the maximum weight for the featherweight division to 70 kg (154 pounds). I didn’t weigh much at that time. I didn’t adapt very well to that.

“When I came back (in 2017), I hadn’t fought in about a year and a half. I hadn’t been teaching classes, so I was financially dependent on fighting. I needed to fight. I fought twice and lost both by decision. I wasn’t at 100 percent, physically. I make no excuses. I chose to fight. No one forced me to do it. On the first of those two fights, against Movlid Khaybulaev, I really wasn’t OK physically. On the second one, against Magomed Idrisov, I did well. It was more even. I could have been awarded the decision win, but that’s OK. After that, I came back to the U.S., had a few injuries and a few canceled bouts, but I refocused and continued to train hard. Once I started to fight at Titan FC, I knew that was my way back to bigger promotions. I was able to get back on a win streak. After the submission win over Luis Gomez, I was invited to Dana White’s Contender Series, and that’s my focus now.”

Burns will take on LFA veteran and Xtreme Couture’s Minner (22-9) who has far more cage experience than Burns. Both guys like to take the fight to the ground, but Burns believes he’s leaps and bounds ahead in the grappling department.

“What he brings, I’ve seen before,” Burns said. “I train with various UFC, Bellator, and ONE guys. I have an excellent team around me. I like that he fights to kill or die. He doesn’t run from a fight. I think it’s a fight style that favors me. I’m a bit taller, with greater reach, and I’ve faced more experienced guys.”

Training at Hard Knocks 365 with coach Henri Hooft, his brother Gilbert, Nik Lentz and many other top talents, Burns is ready show that he can compete with the UFC’s stacked featherweight division, and he wants to ensure that he puts on a dominant showing, impressing UFC boss White one more time.

“I know that I’ll get to impose my game,” Burns added. “At some point, we’ll grapple, and my grappling is far superior. He’s not on the same jiu-jitsu level as me, or my brother Gilbert Burns.

“I’ll pressure him with strikes, using my muay Thai and kickboxing, then I’ll probably take him down and submit him. My goal is to get a great finish so I can guarantee my UFC contract.”



from USA Today - MMAjunkie https://ift.tt/2yxIJ91
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