Tag: UFC on ESPN 9

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC on ESPN 9.

UFC on ESPN 9 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Tyron Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC)

Staple info:

• Height: 5’9″ Age: 38 Weight: 170 lbs. Reach: 74″
• Last fight: Decision loss to Kamaru Usman (March 2, 2019)
• Camp: ATT Evolution (Missouri)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:
+ Former UFC welterweight champion
+ 2x Division 1 All-American wrestler
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 7 KO victories
+ 5 submission wins
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Fast-twitch athlete
^ Closes distance quickly
+ Devastating right hand
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Heavy leg kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ 92 percent takedown defense
+ Solid transitional grappler

Gilbert Burns (18-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC)

Staple info:

• Height: 5’10” Age: 33 Weight: 170 lbs. Reach: 71″
• Last fight: TKO win over Demian Maia (March 14, 2020)
• Camp: H-Kickboxing (Florida)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt (2nd degree)
+ World Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion (2011)
+ Multiple grappling accolades (in and out of the gi)
+ 6 KO victories
+ 8 submission wins
+ 10 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Improved overall striking flow
^ Offensively and defensively
+ Strikes well of the breaks
+ Solid wrestling ability
^ Trips, chains, level-changes
+ Superb transitional grappler
^ Works well from top or bottom

Point of interest: The price of pressure

The main event on ESPN features a fun welterweight affair between a former champ who is looking to get back in the win column and an aggressive up-and-comer who is hitting his stride in multiple ways.

An accomplished grappler who immersed himself into all facets of martial arts, [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] has steadily become a formidable threat on the feet.

Under the care of Henri Hooft, we have seen “Durinho” Burns build upon his pressuring sensibilities in the striking department. Whether he’s working off of his jab or his opponent’s, Burns always seems to have a heavy right hook chambered in the rear, as he typically looks to inch his way forward with offense that’s wired on a hair-trigger.

In his last matchup opposite Demian Maia, we saw Burns’ improved defense, as he displayed some nice head movement en route to slipping a punch and landing a slick left hook over the lead shoulder of his southpaw counterpart. Burns, who is a solid leg kicker in his own right, has also shown signs of improving his defensive awareness in regards to both checking and countering leg kicks thrown his way.

Nevertheless, leg kicks and counter crosses are still what has traditionally landed most on Burns, which means the Brazilian fighter will need to be on his best behavior if he means to pressure forward on fight night.

Enter [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag].

A standout Mizzou wrestler, Woodley has always shown a knack for countering pressure coming his way with both takedowns and strikes since early on in his MMA career.

Making steady but consistent strides with his striking throughout the years, Woodley has gotten a lot of deserved miles for being a dangerous knockout threat on the feet. Though relying on it less frequently in recent parts of his career, the former champion possesses one of the fastest blitzes in the sport (running neck and neck with Yoel Romero, for my money).

Closing the distance at the drop of a dime, Woodley can accurately target his opponent’s head with crushing right hands that come in both straight and hooking fashions. And since making the trek to train more consistently with Duke Roufus in recent years, the St. Louis native has done a better job of attaching kicks to his combinations and moving more fluidly overall.

Still, Woodley ultimately seems to be a counter fighter at heart, a sensibility that seems to be a two-way street in regards to his perception. Tactically, the champion’s style of walking himself back toward the fence has served him well in the sense that he is the one who is dictating the exchanges, subtly allowing his opponents into his range.

The question, however, is will that approach be even riskier when fighting inside of a smaller octagon?

Regardless of any perceived risks, Woodley will still need to send messages to an oncoming Burns early if he means to avoid some sticky situations along the fence.

Next point of interest: Potential grappling entanglements

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