Herbert Burns has pledged to return strong after suffering a devastating loss at UFC Long Island.
The Brazilian was eager to step back inside the Octagon after an ACL surgery previously sidelined him for over a year – but now it’s a prospect he may have to face all over again.
Burns was initially off to the races in the first round against the opposing Bill Algeo, but his drive noticeably dropped after failing to lock in a triangle choke once the fight hit the canvas. When the horn sounded at the end of the opening frame, Burns struggled to pick himself up and had to be assisted to his stool.
The second round brought more of the same, and Algeo rained ground and pound from the top position until the referee was forced to step in and save the defenceless Burns. He was carried out of the Octagon by his brother Gilbert, a top UFC welterweight contender.
In a video uploaded to social media, Burns explained “My knee gave out. It was not stable. I couldn’t continue fighting.” It’s currently uncertain whether the injury will require further surgery, but the featherweight has promised “I’ll be back.”
The AllStar MMA roundup
- Opinion: Taila Santos exposed a lot of holes that Valentina Shevchenko still has
- Update: Casey O’Neill sees early 2023 return to UFC, targets Maycee Barber
- Opinion: Pandemic era MMA: How one UFC fighter survived Covid
The best of the rest
- Dana White: Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett possible for interim title fight next after UFC Long Island – MMAFighting.com
- Lauren Murphy reacts to huge win over Miesha Tate at UFC Long Island: ‘I’m a bad motherf*****’ – MMAFighting.com
- Brian Ortega calls UFC on ABC 3 loss to Yair Rodriguez a ‘freak accident,’ wants rematch – MMAJunkie.com
- Dana White responds to Nate Diaz’s contract dispute: ‘We can’t hold guys hostage’ – BloodyElbow.com
- Chinese flag pulled from Li Jingliang’s shoulders following UFC Long Island win – MMAMania.com
The Call
Markets presented by Crypto sports book Cloudbet:
Curtis Blaydes (16-3) vs Tom Aspinall (12-2)
Chris Curtis (29-8) vs Jack Hermansson (22-7)
The soapbox
Bryan Barberena wants Nate Diaz:
Josh Culibao re-ups on hisUFC deal:
The champ wants his due:
Cupcake isn’t in hiding after recent loss:
The morning view
Casey O’Neill chats rehab and recovery with JHK:
The Weasle breaks down last weekends freak main event ending:
MMA On Point asks the tough question:
Done deals
This week
- Charles Oliveira to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 on October 22nd (per UFC)
- J.Andrade out, Katlyn Chookagian back in to fight Manon Fiorot at UFC Paris on September 3rd (per UFC)
On this day in MMA…
On the 18th of July, 2014, Kamaru Usman competed in his final fight outside of the UFC banner when he took on Marcus Hicks at Legacy FC 33.
Usman would end the bout in the second round with ground and pound, marking his 5th stoppage as a professional.