Adesanya Wants His U.F.C. Belt Back. Pereira Wants to End Their Rivalry.

The inclusion of Masvidal on the cardboard is partially an overture to the combat’s host metropolis of Miami, the place the U.F.C. has not had an occasion since 2003, an period during which replays of its fights had been made extensively accessible on DVD reasonably than by means of streaming video providers. Masvidal trains at American Top Team in close by Coconut Creek, Fla., probably the most distinguished gyms within the sport, and is without doubt one of the most outspoken personalities within the U.F.C., having as soon as headlined a bout in Madison Square Garden.

U.F.C. President Dana White stated in an interview that he wished to produce a card sturdy sufficient to compete with Miami’s different leisure choices, such because the seaside and the town’s nightlife. “Back in the day, if you were a fight promoter, you either did fights in Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Madison Square Garden,” White stated. He added: “We take this thing everywhere, and the way that this thing has grown, it was time to come back.”

Though Masvidal is a draw, he’s on a three-fight shedding streak, together with back-to-back title-shot losses towards the previous 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman and a call defeat to Colby Covington, who grew to become a bitter rival to Masvidal after they had been as soon as roommates and coaching companions.

Burns, who additionally trains in South Florida, has remained close to the highest of the division’s rankings regardless of shedding to Usman in 2021. Their combat will pit Burns’s grappling towards Masvidal’s boxing, and the winner will probably be in line for a title shot within the close to future, White stated, after Covington fights the present champion, Leon Edwards.

Masvidal, who entered the U.F.C. in 2013 and turns 39 in November, didn’t say whether or not he would retire if Burns defeated him, however he did say it will trigger a severe reflection, particularly if he loses in entrance of a hometown crowd.

“If I suffer a fourth loss, a lot of evaluation has to take place,” Masvidal stated.