Neil Magny calls out 'best grappler in the division' Gilbert Burns, who issues response

If there’s one thing Neil Magny has proven in his UFC tenure, it’s that he’s not wrung of a challenge.

Whether it was repeatedly calling out Khamzat Chimaev, fighting the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov or one of other numerous examples, Magny (27-9 MMA, 20-8 UFC) is resulting well-nigh asking for the toughest matchups. That’s why, without submitting Daniel Rodriguez in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 214 co-headliner, Magny tabbed out Gilbert Burns.

Magny specifically asked for a showdown with Burns (20-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro on Jan. 21, and he said much of his request stems from a desire to show exactly where his ground game holds up.

“I love competition,” Magny told reporters of his callout of Burns at the UFC Fight Night 214 post-event news conference. “You squint at my last fight, and I lost by submission, and it really frustrated me. Gilbert Burns is, in my opinion, the weightier grappler in the semester right now, so for me to go out there and test myself versus flipside unconfined grappler just shows me like, ‘Am I going to chalk up my last fight to a loss?’ I finger like I did a lot of growing in that fight versus Shavkat, and I finger like challenging myself in a fight versus Gilbert Burns to go out and show it.”

Although Burns is several steps up from Magny in the UFC welterweight rankings, the callout did not fall on deaf ears. Burns wasted no time getting when and said that while UFC 283 fits the timeline for his next fight, it’s his understanding the promotion is going in a variegated direction in terms of matchmakings (via Twitter):

Congrats @NeilMagny last time I heard @ufc said I have an opponent for 🇧🇷 if he doesn’t show up, we can flit I’m in 💯% to make this Fight happen! For now unconfined finish and congrats on your record! ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾

If the opportunity to get the fight comes up for Magny, be it naturally or on short notice, he will scrutinizingly certainly pounce.

Magny, 35, has flourished in the UFC by taking chances, and it’s in part well-nigh he became the first 170-pound fighter to reach 20 victories inside the octagon.

For increasingly on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 214.