The main event of UFC Fight Night 242 will see Gilbert Burns take on Sean Brady. Burns, a Brazilian welterweight fighter, is currently ranked sixth in the UFC welterweight rankings, while Brady, an American, is in the eighth place. The match is set to take place on September 7 at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
It will be the first fight between these two welterweight stars. Brady will be featuring in his first match this year. He last fought against Kelvin Gastelum of the United States in December 2023.
Burns’ last outing happened against the fourth-ranked Australian welterweight fighter Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299.
Both fighters share many similarities, apart from being closely ranked in the UFC rankings. Burns is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and a black belt, and Brady is also a black belt. The result of this fight will help both fighters move up the ranking and cement their legacy.
Burns vs Brady: Meet the Fighters
Gilbert Burns has won 22 out of his 29 matches in the UFC. The other seven matches ended in a defeat for the Brazilian fighter. He is coming here after suffering a loss in his last two outings. He took on Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena in his last match in March this year and suffered a loss in the third round. It was an impressive victory for Maddalena considering he broke his forearm during the match.
Burns’ other loss came against the first-ranked American fighter Bilal Muhammad. Muhammad won by unanimous decision with scorecards of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46. After the fight, Burns revealed the injuries he sustained on his YouTube channel. The injury occurred in the first round when he attempted a takedown and landed on his left shoulder. He reportedly suffered from a torn left AC joint (second to third grade), a torn left deltoid, a torn left trapezius muscle, and a sprained C4/C5. He took a long rest of seven months to recover from his injuries.
Burns will return to the UFC Apex facility after around three years. He last fought at the arena during UFC 258 in February 2021 against the Nigerian-American fighter Kamaru Usman and suffered the third loss of his career.
Now, coming to Sean Brady. He has suffered just a single loss in his 17-match career so far. In his last outing in December last year, he faced American fighter Kelvin Gastelum. He secured a victory via a third-round kimura (a double joint armlock move in Jiu Jitsu). The fight began with Gastelum attempting a powerful strike, but Brady quickly countered with a takedown and maintained control throughout the match, showcasing superior grappling skills. Despite Gastelum’s efforts to escape and briefly gain top position, Brady effectively transitioned between positions, landing strikes and threatening submissions. As the final round unfolded, Gastelum struggled to turn the tide and was ultimately trapped in a kimura. Brady won the Performance of the Night award for this match.
Brady’s only loss came against the American fighter Belal Muhammad at the UFC 280 in October 2022. Muhammad secured victory in the second round.
Sean Brady Stats
| Current Rank | 8th |
| Team | Marquez MMA |
| Weight class | Welterweight |
| Weight | 77 kg (170 lbs) |
| Height | 177.8 cm (5’10”) |
| Record | 16-1-0 (win-loss-draw) |
| Nickname | N/A |
| Last Fight | Dec. 02, 2023 (won) |
| Last Opponent | Kelvin Gastelum |
| DOB | November 23, 1992 (31 years) |
| Country | USA |
| Reach | 72 in |
| Leg Reach | 40 in |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
Gilbert Burns Stats
| Current Rank | 6th |
| Team | Kill Cliff FC |
| Weight class | Welterweight |
| Weight | 77 kg (170 lbs) |
| Height | 177.8 cm (5’10”) |
| Record | 22-7-0 (win-loss-draw) |
| Nickname | Durinho |
| Last Fight | March 09, 2024 (lost) |
| Last Opponent | Jack Della Maddalena |
| DOB | July 20, 1986 (38 years) |
| Country | Brazil |
| Reach | 71 in |
| Leg Reach | 40 in |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting Style | Striker |
Burns vs Brady: What To Expect
The fight is set to take place in Las Vegas. One might assume that it might be an advantage for the 31-year-old American welterweight Brady fighting on his home ground. However, the match is scheduled to take place on the Independence Day in Brazil. It might be enough for the Brazilian Burns to push for a win on this special occasion.
Burns, aka Durinho, turned 38 in July this year, and it will be interesting to see how much he pairs up against the 31-year-old Brady in their first match against each other.
Neither of Burns’ last two losses were particularly poor performances. Belal Muhammad is now the reigning 170-pound champion, who has defeated both Burns and Brady. As for his other fight, Burns was evenly matched against Jack Della Maddalena until the Australian intensified his attack in the later rounds. Before these bouts, Burns showcased his grappling skills by outmaneuvering notable fighters from America like Jorge Masvidal, Neil Magny, and Stephen Thompson, and he even posed a challenge to Russia’s Khamzat Chimaev. Burns is an explosive fighter known for his powerful strikes, strong wrestling capabilities, and elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, especially when on top.
Brady presents an intriguing challenge for Burns, as he is one of the few fighters in the 170-pound division capable of matching ‘Durinho’ hold-for-hold. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt himself, the Philadelphia native excels on the mat. He is a strong and controlling grappler, adept at both stifling his opponents and securing submissions, as demonstrated in his victories over American Michael Chiesa and Australia’s Kelvin Gastelum, both of whom are skilled grapplers in their own right.
Brady’s sole loss came against Belal Muhammad in 2022. In that fight, ‘Remember the Name’, Belal came out aggressively and finished Brady with a flurry of punches in the second round. Before that stoppage, Brady was performing well, largely outstriking Muhammad from a countering position, although he struggled to take him down despite his efforts.
Burns and Brady are evenly matched for this fight. ‘Durinho’ has the striking power to deliver heavy shots while Brady is strong and large enough to maintain control along the fence.
Main Card Events
- Gilbert Burns vs. Sean Brady
- André Lima vs. Felipe dos Santos
- Kyle Nelson vs. Steve Garcia
- Trevor Peek vs. Yanal Ashmouz
- Jessica Andrade vs. Natalia Silva
- Matt Schnell vs. Alessandro Costa
Undercard Fights
- Jaqueline Amorim vs. Vanessa Demopoulos
- Andre Petroski vs. Dylan Budka
- Ovince Saint Preux vs. Ryan Spann
- Rongzhu vs. Chris Padilla
- Isaac Dulgarian vs. Brendon Marotte
- Yi Zha vs. Gabriel Santos
7Bet Odds
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