The UFC has a newly minted welterweight contender.

Gilbert Burns defeated former champion Tyron Woodley through unanimous resolution (50-45, 50-44, 50-44) in a whole efficiency Saturday night time in the principle occasion of UFC Las Vegas. Burns practically completed Woodley within the opening minutes and by no means let his foot off the fuel pedal, successful each single spherical.

“That was a former champion proper there — you noticed,” Burns stated. “And I had a dominant efficiency.”

ESPN had Woodley ranked No. 5 amongst MMA welterweights coming in, whereas Burns was No. 9. Woodley had not fought since dropping the welterweight title to Kamaru Usman through unanimous resolution at UFC 235 on March 2, 2019.

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Burns trains at Sanford MMA in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with Usman, the present UFC welterweight champion. Regardless of that relationship, Burns referred to as for a title shot after his win.

“I need to combat for the title,” Burns stated. “Lot of respect, plenty of love for [Usman]. However I feel I am subsequent. I am subsequent. I am proper there.”

Woodley, who completed with 28 important strikes to 83 for Burns, stated it merely wasn’t his night time.

“To be trustworthy, I really feel crappy that I misplaced,” he stated. “I did not think about shedding to Gilbert Burns. However on the finish of the day, I am actually happy with myself as a result of mentally, I knew what I used to be going via within the Octagon. He gave me some onerous pictures, and I simply stored saying, ‘I am not fixing to surrender. I am not feeling that this dude beat me. I am coming again. I am gonna win this combat.’

“It wasn’t my night time. I do not perceive it, however I simply gotta belief God that there is one thing larger and higher.”

The cardboard was the UFC’s first again in its hometown since March because of the coronavirus pandemic. It came about on the UFC Apex, a facility throughout from the promotion’s campus, in entrance of no followers. The Nevada State Athletic Fee lifted its suspension on fight sports activities Wednesday.

Burns landed an enormous mixture within the first spherical that dropped Woodley and opened a deep reduce over Woodley’s left eye. Burns pounced on the bottom, landed huge punches and tried submissions, however Woodley survived. Woodley had his moments within the second spherical together with his vaunted proper hand.

However Burns wobbled Woodley with a proper hand within the third and dropped him once more within the fourth. Burns additionally attacked with onerous leg kicks that Woodley clearly was feeling late within the bout.

Burns (19-3) has received six in a row and 4 straight since shifting up from light-weight to welterweight. The Brazil native, who lives and trains in Florida, has only one loss going again to 2016. Burns, 33, is a former multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion and has made enormous strides within the putting division below coach Henri Hooft.

Mentioned Burns after Saturday’s victory, “Not dangerous for a jiu-jitsu man, proper?”

Woodley (19-5-1) has dropped two straight. Earlier than that, he held the welterweight title from 2016 to 2019 with three profitable title defenses. Woodley, 38, was unbeaten in seven consecutive fights earlier than falling to Usman, however now has not received since 2018.