LAS VEGAS -- Their jiu-jitsu skills would have lent themselves to an insane grappling. Neither Sean Brady nor GIlbert Burns were all that eager to test each other on the ground Saturday during their pivotal welterweight bout in the main event of UFC Vegas 97 at Apex.
Instead, it was a striking battle for the most part, and it was Brady's accuracy and insane pressure that carried the day in what turned out to be the biggest win of his career. Brady won by scores of 50-45 twice and 49-46 in a bout in which he clearly established himself as a legitimate contender in the crowded welterweight division.
He out-landed Burns, 130-47, in significant strikes and had seven takedowns to Burns' one. Brady had 10:43 of control time in the 25-minute fight. It was in Brady's view the most significant victory of his career.
"[He's a] former title challenger," Brady said of Burns. "Fought some of the best. Beat some of the best. Lost to some of the best. He's an amazing fighter and a guy I've looked up to in my career, like I said earlier this week. I feel like I'm just a younger, little bit better version of Gilbert. I think I proved that tonight, but I've always looked up to him. He's an amazing fighter."
Brady ain't half bad, either. Now 17-1, he's finally got the win that will earn him the long overdue recognition for a superb all-around game. Even the welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad, who on Oct. 22, 2022 at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi handed Brady his only defeat, recognized how well the Philadelphian performed.
Man Brady is gonna be tough to beat
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) September 8, 2024
Brady connected on 59 percent of his significant strikes and his forward pressure left Burns looking for room the entire fight.
He entered the bout ranked eighth, two spots behind Burns, and will move up at least a spot. The problem at welterweight is that there are so many elite contenders battling for position to get the first shot at Muhammad. Former champions Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman are 1-2, with unbeaten finisher Shavkat Rahkmonov third. Jack Della Maddalena is fourth, with Colby Covington fifth, Burns sixth and Ian Machado Garry at seven.
Brady joined that elite group with a clear and resounding victory. In his last three fights, he's fought Muhammad, who now holds the welterweight belt, and Kelvin Gastelum and Burns, who both fought for it. That experience of beating guys who have competed at the highest level is invaluable.
"It's huge," he said of the experience he's gained in the last three bouts. "I just think I belong to be here now. I truly feel I'm embracing it and whoever's next, whatever high-level guy, I'll be ready for them."
Most of all, Brady said he learned an enormous amount from the bout with Muhammad. He was stopped by strikes in the second round. He endured plenty of criticism from the armchair experts who watched MMA, but he was competitive until a big shot changed the course of the fight.
But Brady conceded he quit on himself in that bout.
"If you go back and watch that fight, it was a very competitive fight until it wasn't," Brady said. "I got caught with a punch that ... I didn't get dropped. I wasn't knocked out. I should have thrown back, but in that moment, I quit on myself. That will never happen again and that's the difference between Sean Brady of 2022 in October and Sean Brady of today. I will not quit on myself ever again. You'd have to f*cking kill me or else I'm going to be there for the whole night."
Complete UFC Vegas 97 results
Sean Brady W5 Gilbert Burns, 50-45 twice, 49-46.
Natalia Silva W3 Jessica Andrade, 30-27 on all cards.
Steve Garcia TKO1 Kyle Nelson via strikes, 3:59.
Cody Durden SUB2 Matt Schnell via Anaconda choke, 0:29.
Yanal Ashmouz W3 Trevor Peek, 29-28 twice, 30-27.
Chris Padilla TKO2 Rongzhu via strikes, 4:14.
Isaac Dulgarian SUB2 Brendon Marotte via arm triangle choke, 4:19.
Andre Lima W3 Felipe dos Santos, 29-28 twice, 30-27.
Gabriel Santos W3 Yizha, 30-26 twice, 30-27.
Jaqueline Amorim SUB1 Vanessa Demopoulos via armbar, 3:28.
Andre Petroski W3 Dylan Budka, 30-27 on all cards.
Nathan Fletcher SUB1 Zygimantas Ramaska via arm triangle choke, 1:14.