Media Day on UFC’s Las Vegas return includes South Florida’s Gilbert Burns, Roosevelt Roberts
UFC conducted a Media Day on Thursday to hype its Las Vegas return.
After a shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, UFC made its triumphant return a few weeks ago in Jacksonville, Florida. With no fans in attendance -- stemming from health concerns and safety precautions -- the three UFC shows in eight days went well at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
Testing was done regularly. Masks were worn, too, with social distancing at cageside, judges separated, commentators spread out, and each fighter brought a small contingent.
UFC Fight Night on ESPN is Saturday from an empty UFC Apex in Las Vegas. This marks the first UFC show in Las Vegas since the pandemic. Precautions, rules and guidelines will be the same, like in Jacksonville.
The event will be live via ESPN, ESPN + and ESPN Deportes.
Welterweight Gilbert Durinho Burns, who trains at Sanford MMA in Deerfield Beach (formerly Hard Knocks 365 in Fort Lauderdale), is in the main event against former UFC champ The Chosen One Tyron Woodley of American Top Team Evolution.
The 33-year-old Burns (18-3) is from Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Woodley (19-4-1) is from Ferguson, Missouri. The 38-year-old athlete is also part of Season 2 of The Titan Games, hosted, produced and inspired by The Rock Dwayne Johnson on NBC.
UFC Media Day Q&A with Woodley and Burns
In a lightweight battle on the main card, The Predator Roosevelt Roberts, 26, who was born in Miami, fights Brok Chata Tuska Weaver, who represents the MOWA Band of Choctaw Native Americans.
Roberts (9-1) lives in Lathrop, California and trains at Adrenaline Martial Arts in San Bernardino. Weaver, 28, of Mobile, Alabama is 15-4.
UFC Media Day Q&A Weaver and Roberts.
Complete fight card and more Media Day Q&As below.
UFC Fight Night on ESPN
Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas
MAIN CARD starts 9 p.m. ET
Welterweight: Tyron Woodley (19-4-1) vs. Gilbert Burns (18-3)
Heavyweight: Blagoy Ivanov (18-3, 1 NC) vs. Augusto Sakai (14-1-1)
Catchweight: Billy Quarantillo (13-2) vs. Spike Carlyle (9-1)
Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (7-1) vs. Hannah Cifers (10-4)
Lightweight: Roosevelt Roberts (9-1) vs. Brok Weaver (15-4)
PRELIMS start 6 p.m. ET
Flyweight: Katlyn Chookagian (13-3) vs. Antonina Shevchenko (8-1)
Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez (11-1) vs. Gabe Green (9-2)
Lt. Heavyweight: Jamahal Hill (7-0) vs. Klidson Farias de Abreu (15-4)
Flyweight: Tim Elliott (15-10-1) vs. Brandon Royval (10-4)
Bantamweight: Louis Smolka (16-6) vs. Casey Kenney (13-2-1)
Featherweight: Chris Gutierrez (14-4, 1 NC) vs. Vince Morales (9-4)
UFC Website: https://www.ufc.com/
UFC Twitter: https://twitter.com/ufc
The event is live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and will be simulcast on ESPN+. It is not a pay-per-view show.
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