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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Herbert Burns finally feels healthy enough to enter the octagon again.

Burns suffered a knee injury during his most recent UFC appearance, a second-round stoppage defeat to Bill Algeo in July 2022. Since then, he’s undergone two procedures to fix injuries to his ACL.

Now booked to face Julio Arce this Saturday at UFC Atlantic City, Burns aims to send a message to the division.

“I know Arce is a big obstacle on my way — he’s no joke,” Burns said on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast. “He’s tough and experienced and [has been] in the UFC for a long time. He has good wins, but he’s going through ups and downs like I am, and I want to rebound. I know I have the skills to beat him. I beat anyone when I’m 100 percent, and I’m 100 percent now. All I have to do is go there and do a great job and get this win.”

Burns has dealt with injuries since his most recent UFC victory, an 80-second submission over Evan Dunham in which he injured his foot. He suffered more serious health issues in bouts against Daniel Pineda and Algeo, sidelining him for much longer.

That’s another reason why the 36-year-old Brazilian didn’t think twice about accepting the fight with Arce.

“I wanted to fight,” Burns said. “I was frustrated, but I focused on what I could do. I took that time to focus on reconstructing my thigh and knees. My leg is way, way stronger now. I’m working out hard every single day.”

It wasn’t easy for the Brazilian featherweight to be inactive for nearly two years. But by managing his Florida gym The Way, he stayed busy and earned money.

“The goal was to come back,” Burns said. “I don’t put extra pressure over me [to win and avoid getting released]. I want to win. I don’t need to fight, I don’t need any of this. I don’t even need to be in the UFC. I don’t need to fight. I have my own gym today, and I can just sit there and teach. I would be cool.

“I don’t do this because I need this, I do it because I want to. I want to win. I’ve worked hard to win. I deserve to win. I’ve worked hard my entire life, and it’s no different now. Coming back from the injury, coming back from everything, all the hard word and sacrifice, I really want this win. I’ve worked so hard for it.”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Chael Sonnen has a pair of theories about Sean Strickland’s next UFC step.

On one hand, Sonnen believes Strickland’s fate could be as straightforward as possible: Serving as the backup fighter for Dricus du Plessis’ next title defense. On the other hand, however, the three-time UFC title challenger wonders if Strickland is being saved for a more unexpected purpose, one which would be unveiled after UFC 300 goes down on April 13.

“You’ve got to understand, Bo Nickal is on the main card of [UFC] 300 for reason,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “None of us fully know what that reason is. But we also do understand [that reason] is to shine up a tremendous prospect. And at some point, like everybody, that prospect has to be given that guy with the right number next to his name.

“I’ll give you guys a fine example. Khamzat Chimaev was not ranked. If you could believe it, he wasn’t ranked, and he was the media darling like only two of other people in the history of our sport have ever seen: Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey. This is red hot and we’ve got to get him into a title fight. He’s not ranked. So to solve that problem we’re going to take an unranked Khamzat Chimaev, 25 years old, and we’re going to put him against No. 3 Leon Edwards — and they actually signed that fight. You guys were quite upset. You wanted to see the fight, but you were quite upset, because you looked at as a slight on Leon. And I’m just reminding you of this because COVID hit, canceled that fight. But that theory and that process still does hold up.”

Sonnen pointed to a similar set of circumstances around Sean O’Malley, another blue-chip prospect who sat at the periphery of the rankings then burst straight into the title conversation once he was awarded an unexpected matchup against former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan. O’Malley defeated Yan in a controversial split decision, then immediately challenged Aljamain Sterling and captured the UFC title — having effectively circumvented a cavalcade of longer tenured contenders at 135 pounds.

Sonnen wonders if the UFC is planning a similar setup for Nickal.

“Something is happening with Bo, and I don’t know how many of these squash matches we can do until we finally just go, ‘Hey guys, give him the match. We all see what you’re trying to do, but you are the one that has decided you can’t do it,’” Sonnen said.

“So somebody’s going to have to do all that, so somebody is going to get the call to do this for Bo — and that is one of my guesses for Strickland.”

Nickal, 28, is widely considered to be one of the most talented prospects in MMA. A three-time NCAA Division I champion wrestler, Nickal is a perfect 5-0 in his MMA career and kicked off his UFC run with back-to-back first-round stoppages of Jamie Pickett and Val Woodburn. Nickal is scheduled to next face Cody Brundage on the main card of UFC 300, though his placement on the historic pay-per-view card has drawn the ire of some fans.

Strickland, 33, has continuously campaigned for a rematch with du Plessis since dropping his title to the South African middleweight in his first title defense in January at UFC 297.

Sonnen is confident one of his two scenarios is correct.

“Those are very opposite guesses,” he said. “On one hand, [Strickland] is going to be the guy used to bring up the guy that has very clearly gotten this push behind him, but we’re not quite sure what to do with it, versus, Strickland has been assured and reaffirmed of his value, of his worth, of his ranking, of where he stands, and is going to be a backup fighter.

“I understand the separation but I do maintain, I believe I’m right on one of those two speculations.”

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Trilogy?
| BJPenn.com

UFC

Conor McGregor’s new Road House movie has been slammed by viewers around the world, but that doesn’t mean the former UFC double champion cut any corners during his preparation for his Hollywood debut.

While the new Road House film doesn’t have any direct connection to the cult classic starring the late Patrick Swayze it was a decent attempt at bringing back one of the more iconic fight movies of all time. McGregor was brought on board as one of the main antagonists while co-star, Jake Gyllenhaal, took the lead role.

The movie may not be perfect, but the fight scenes were pretty badass. They needed to be. Being that this Road House was an official reboot 35 years in the making and an actual MMA superstar was cast to show off his fighting skills, the action needed to deliver when other aspects of the film did not.

Luckily, McGregor showed up. Not only did his own fight scenes sell, but “Notorious” helped choreograph certain exchanges and offered up his combat expertise when it was needed. The movie did have some world-class stuntmen and fight-scene coordinators, but it didn’t hurt to have a real-life former UFC champion in the mix.

On Friday, Amazon Prime Studios released a video showing some behind-the-scenes action from Road House. McGregor was front and center as he offered up some tips for one of the more memorable moments of the movie. It was a pretty unique watch, whether or not you liked the film.

Check it out in the above video player and let us know what you thought of McGregor’s efforts.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

In a fair and just world, Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot would both be guaranteed a shot at the flyweight title. But for now, one is about to stay at the front of the conversation and the other is about to take a significant step back.

The main event of UFC Atlantic City should give us our next challenger for the 125-pound championship, but current titleholder Alexa Grasso and former champion Valentina Shevchenko are locked in to a trilogy that won’t be resolved until after they serve as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 32 later this year. That’s a long time to wait for either of Saturday’s headliners, so even if we get a definitive winner, there are no guarantees that the victor won’t have to fight again before they have a chance at gold.

That’s not the only drama set to play out at Boardwalk Hall.

Chris Weidman returns to action in the midst of a 1-4 slump, and though the former middleweight champion has brushed off retirement talk, he may not have too many fights left if he falls short against Bruno Silva. Add in the fact that “Blindado” is known for his devastating knockout power and fans of Weidman will undoubtedly be on high alert watching this matchup.

In the co-main event, perennial welterweight contender Vicente Luque faces a wildcard challenge in Joaquin Buckley. Known for his unpredictable striking style, Buckley has gone 2-0 since moving to 170 pounds. A standout performance Saturday could rocket Buckley up the rankings, but there’s also a chance that the cold-blooded Luque slows his roll.

What: UFC Atlantic City

Where: Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J,

When: Saturday, March 30. The eight-fight preliminary card begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+, followed by a six-fight main card at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.

Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot

It’s fair to say that this is the toughest test yet for Erin Blanchfield.

Really, you could have written those words before either of her past two fights, as she went from facing a former UFC champion in Jessica Andrade to Taila Santos, the woman who almost took the flyweight title from Valentina Shevchenko. In each of those bouts, fans caught glimpses of the attributes that make Blanchfield so special. She trucked Andrade en route to a second-round submission and outlasted Santos in a gutsy three-round affair. At age 24, it already feels like Blanchfield is prepared for any situation.

What makes Manon Fiorot such a challenge is her striking and her adaptability. She’s going to want to keep this one standing as Blanchfield has proven to be hittable, especially when she steps into punching range trusting that her sturdy chin will hold up. The right hand is there for Fiorot if she’s patient, and a few of those could have Blanchfield thinking twice about being overly aggressive.

I still like Blanchfield’s athleticism to put her over the top. Having five rounds to work with should favor her relentless pace, even though she’s yet to go into the championship rounds in any of her fights. (Fiorot, on the other hand, went the full 25 minutes once earlier in her career.) Blanchfield is more than deserving of a championship opportunity and she’ll prove it again with a convincing decision nod against Fiorot.

Pick: Blanchfield

Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley

Joaquin Buckley needs to finish this fight early or it could get ugly for him late. He’s certainly impressed at 170 pounds, his proper weight class, and he could be catching Vicente Luque on the decline. Luque is only 32, but he’s been traveling this road for almost 15 years now and there are a lot of hard miles on there.

There’s something to be said for experience though, which is why I’m going with Luque in this fight. Luque is coming off of an impressive five-round performance against Rafael dos Anjos and thus far he’s only lost to top-ranked fighters in the welterweight division. Buckley has that potential, but he’s not there yet. He’ll learn a lot from going a round or two with Luque.

That’s as long as I expect this to last because I doubt they go to the third. Buckley dazzles early with some flashy attacks and threatens to land a big shot, but Luque takes advantage of Buckley’s defensive limitations in Round 2 and puts him out with a knockout combination.

Pick: Luque

Chris Weidman vs. Bruno Silva

I’ll say it: I’m scared for Chris Weidman.

Yes, this feels like a reasonable matchup on paper. Bruno Silva isn’t known for his ability to defend takedowns nor submissions and “The All-American” has the wrestling to ground Silva early and remove his menacing standup from the equation.

What concerns me is that all it will take is one good shot from Silva to hurt Weidman. Badly. We know the former champion can still compete, and if you believe in moral victories, his decision loss to Brad Tavares could certainly be counted as one. The thing is that Weidman is just a few months shy of his 40th birthday. I’m sure he’s well-prepared, but he’s older. Slower. And no, his chin isn’t what it once was.

Returning to the New Jersey stomping grounds where he started his career can only be good for Weidman, but eventually the rush of the crowd will pass and then he’ll be on his own against a Brazilian wrecking machine. He can only outrun Silva’s lethal limbs for so long.

Silva by knockout.

Pick: Silva

Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas

You’ll have a hard time finding a bigger disparity in experience than in this matchup between Nursulton Ruziboev and Sedriques Dumas. When Dumas made his pro debut in 2020, Ruziboev was already 34 fights deep.

It took Ruziboev time to make it to the UFC and he didn’t disappoint in his debut, needing less than 90 seconds to knock out Brazilian slugger Brunno Ferreira. He’s a finisher through and through, so Dumas’ defense will be tested like never before.

Dumas has impressive agility and speed for a fighter his size. He also puts his long limbs to good use when it comes to tying his opponents up and turning clinches into trips. Ruziboev is skilled on the ground, but he won’t want to play around with Dumas on top if he can avoid it.

Ruziboev’s stalking style will force Dumas to make adjustments that he’s probably not equipped to make yet. Once Dumas is cornered, he should wilt under Ruziboev’s pressure until the towering Uzbek clubs him into submission.

Pick: Ruziboev

Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson

Bill Algeo can’t be a fun guy to fight. Not because he’s unwilling to engage or be part of exciting fights, but because he forces you to engage on his terms. “Señor Perfecto” uses his tricky Muay Thai to attack from a variety of angles before exploding with spinning attacks out of nowhere. Add in a strong ground game and you can see why Algeo is such an unappealing fighter to be standing across from.

That’s right up Kyle Nelson’s alley though. The Canadian is unbeaten in his past three fights, all of which saw him enter the cage as the underdog. After an uninspiring start to his UFC run, “The Monster” has reinvented himself as an entertaining spoiler.

So what does this mean for Algeo, currently at -245 to have his hand raised according to DraftKings? He won’t overlook Nelson’s talents, taking a methodical approach to begin the fight before opening up in Round 2 as he usually does. Nelson will be there with him step for step to make this fight more of a meeting of the minds than a battle of wills.

Outside of the main event, this is the toughest fight to pick in my eyes. I lean slightly towards Algeo based on how we’ve seen him perform against a higher level of competition, but nobody should be surprised if Nelson beats the odds again.

Pick: Algeo

Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee

When I think about Chidi Njokuani as a welterweight, it’s difficult for me to shake off the early struggles he had cutting down to 170 pounds. His weight misses didn’t hinder him much once he stepped into the cage, but I never felt like I was seeing the best version of him. Regardless, he returns to welterweight to face Rhys McKee, another fighter looking to course correct in the UFC.

The loser likely leaves town here, so expect this to either end in the opening round as both fighter seek to forcefully take the reins or turn into a 15-minute spar with neither man willing to take a risk and jeopardize their immediate futures. Skill-wise, Njokuani and McKee pair up nicely, and both will have to be sharp to navigate the other’s long reach.

McKee still seeks his first UFC win after going 0-4 across two stints with the promotion, and I think he’s due. As long as he can avoid those lapses where he becomes a stiff and stationary target, he has the ability to walk Njokuani down and lay into him with strikes. A Njokuani counter could stop McKee in his tracks, but I’m picking McKee to beat him to the punch and end this early.

Pick: McKee

Preliminaries

Nate Landwehr def. Jamall Emmers

Virna Jandiroba def. Loopy Godinez

Julio Arce def. Herbert Burns

Connor Matthews def. Dennis Buzukja

Ibo Aslan def. Anton Turkalj

Viktoriya Dudakova def. Melissa Gatto

Andre Petroski def. Jacob Malkoun

Caolan Loughran def. Angel Pacheco

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