Durinho Wants To Grapple With Demian Maia To Show His Win Wasn't A Fluke

Durinho Wants To Grapple With Demian Maia To Show His Win Wasn't A Fluke

Gilbert Burns wants to show that it was no lucky win by challenging Demian Maia to a match that will test both of the grappling skills to the max.

Apr 23, 2020 by Hywel Teague
Durinho Wants To Grapple With Demian Maia To Show His Win Wasn't A Fluke
Gilbert Burns wants to challenge Demian Maia to a grappling match in order to settle any doubts whether his win in their recent MMA fight was a fluke or not. 

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Gilbert Burns wants to challenge Demian Maia to a grappling match in order to settle any doubts whether his win in their recent MMA fight was a fluke or not. 

Winner via KO in only 154 seconds in their UFC fight, Gilbert Burns says he was less than pleased that Demian Maia thinks it was a lucky punch. 

So Burns thinks the best way to settle the score is to have a grappling match. Speaking to Riccardo Ammendolia on the Riccardo Baleia BJJ podcast, Burns said this: 

"Don't get me wrong. I love Demian Maia. I got like 10-15 messages yesterday — there was a show in Brazil and he said it was a lucky punch. I want to grapple with Demian. That's the number one guy I want to grapple. We grappled a little bit, I got back to my feet. He did good, he got to my back, but Rafa (Mendes) was living on my back in Rio Claro. I kind of know what to do. Show me a guy that Demian got the back and they escaped from that. Nobody. I heard he wants to grapple, I want to grapple Demian too."

Durinho has always looked to mix up his competition, regularly switching from MMA to gi and no-gi matches. And he's got a few other high-profile names in mind: 

"Garry Tonon would be kind of hard to set up, but Garry Tonon. Demian Maia, and Craig Jones. No excuse, I lost to Craig Jones, but man that was such a bad week, I was so sick, I was so bad but I was there already, I went all the way to Portland but I wasn't feeling good at all. I have so many guys I want to fight, but those three guys– I want to grapple Demian Maia, Garry Tonon and Craig Jones."