First Round Finishers Fight for the Win at UFC Fight Night 273
The Octagon has welcomed fast-paced fights and finishes that have stunned crowds in the past. Now, those moments may be seen again as two fighters in the men’s Welterweight Division are set to face each other without hesitation. One is Gilbert Burns, also known as ‘Durinho’. His opponent is the Canadian Mike Malott and carries the nickname ‘Proper’. They both want a solid knockout, as they have demonstrated the ability to do so in past fights. The question of whether they will be able to will come down to their inherent abilities and decisions made during their fight.
Burns will come into this fight as a 39-year-old and lost his last fight by knockout. He does have more takedowns on average than his opponent. As a likely result, he does have a higher takedown defense. He could use these grappling techniques to offset his taller opponent, who also has a higher reach, but to do so would open him up to knee strikes. Historically, he has relied on first-round finishes to win most of his fights. He could do the same here, but his opponent matches or exceeds him at every turn, making the possibility slim.
‘Proper’ makes first-round finishes like ‘Durinho’. Unlike his opponent, he is younger, and 34 years old. He even has a longer reach, which would give him an advantage if the fight comes down to a grappling match. Inside his past grappling matches, he manages to submit his opponents, too. However, his fight record is less developed than that of the 39-year-old opponent, but experience is not the sole determinant of who wins this fight. Malott is carrying another advantage in the form of his height. This factor makes his legs a deadly weapon while standing.
The crowd favorite is the young Canadian powerhouse who encompasses speed and agility to not be hit by his opponents. He then returns any attempt made with deadly force. This accuracy that he carries in a fight is also what makes his opponent just as deadly. He will have to be careful when it comes to any standing strategy because of this. It is likely ‘Durinho’ will not be able to compete for long, as he often takes more blows than landing them.
Undoubtedly, ‘Proper’ will win this fight as he is looking to move further up the rankings and has the ability to do so when all stats are considered. He is the fighter who has reach and speed to avoid his opponent’s strikes. Alongside this, he is just as accurate and can take the fight to the ground with a strategy of submitting the aggressor should the fight go to the ground. The best way to know if the fight goes to the ground or remains standing will be when the fight is streamed on Paramount+ at 8:00 p.m. EDT!
