Gilbert Burns recently shared his thoughts on whether Sean Brady poses a legitimate threat on the ground, given his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Burns is gearing up to face Brady in a crucial welterweight showdown, set to headline this weekend’s Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Durinho” has been absent from the Octagon since suffering a third-round knockout at the hands of Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299 this past March. That setback came just two months after another tough loss, when the 38-year-old Brazilian veteran was defeated by newly crowned welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 in May 2023.
Meanwhile, Brady is stepping into uncharted territory with his first-ever five-round bout under the UFC banner. The 31-year-old American has only gone past the third round once in his career. In his last appearance, he secured an impressive submission victory over seasoned veteran Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night Austin last December, bouncing back from the first setback of his career against Muhammad at UFC 280 in October 2022.
Burns is a formidable force on the mat, a dangerous grappler who has dominated since his return to the welterweight division in 2019, racking up the second-highest number of takedowns in the division. On the other hand, Brady is no slouch on the ground either, bringing his own savage submission game to the table, potentially making their matchup a fascinating chess contest of technical prowess and ground control…
Burns Holds Brady’s Grappling Skills In High Regard
During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, Burns was asked to weigh in on just how dangerous he believes Brady’s grappling game truly is. As a decorated BJJ black belt world champion himself, ‘Durinho’ acknowledged that his opponent is far from an ordinary grappler, noting that Brady trains under the tutelage of BJJ legend Daniel Gracie.
“He’s legit. His coach is Daniel Gracie, you know. Daniel Gracie grew up with Renzo [Gracie], so he’s very, very good,” Burns said. “Daniel Gracie saw Brady since he was a kid, so he’s a legit black belt.”
Burns went on to highlight Brady’s impressive grappling credentials, pointing out that Brady managed to defeat ADCC submission champion Craig Jones—an accomplishment that Burns himself couldn’t achieve.
“He beat Craig Jones even when [the bout] was set with no leg locks. When I lost to Craig Jones, it was with leg locks—he went quick on my leg. So, Sean Brady beat him under no leg lock rules. Yeah, he’s a great fighter.”
“Durinho” is currently navigating the first back-to-back losses of his career, and he’s well aware that the outcome on Saturday night carries critical weight if he hopes to climb back into title contention.
