In the main event of UFC Vegas 97, the pride of Philadelphia No. 6 Sean Brady picked up the biggest victory of his career on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex. From start to finish, Brady dominated the former title challenger, No. 6 Gilbert Burns. Brady made his case for a rematch with UFC Undisputed Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad.
Brady defeated Burns by way of unanimous decision, 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46. He also outlanded Burns 130 to 47 in significant strikes while having over 10 minutes of control time on the ground. He completed seven takedowns on 17 attempts.
When the UFC updated their rankings Tuesday morning, Brady and Burns swapped places. The top of the Welterweight division is stacked with intriguing fighters. Brady is now firmly in that group with Shavkat Rakhmonov, Jack Della Maddalena, and Ian Machado Garry.
But after all of that hard-hitting amazing action in the octagon, let’s take a look at what is next for Sean Brady. Here are the top three options for who he should face next.
- No. 5 Colby Covington
This is my No. 1 option for Brady’s next opponent because of the stylistic matchup. Covington, 36, is 0-3 in title opportunities in the UFC and needs a big victory to re-establish himself in the Welterweight division. It would benefit Covington to fight one of the best up-and-coming fighters in the division to remind people of his talent.
Against Burns, Brady showcased his elite cardio with relentless takedowns throughout the fight. Both are things that Covington is known for. We can see whose cardio is the best and whether Covington is still one of the best wrestlers in the Welterweight division.
- No. 7 Ian Machado Garry
After Brady’s win on Saturday, he called out Machado Garry when talking to Michael Bisping.
Sean Brady wants to keep climbing 📈
— UFC (@ufc) September 8, 2024
He called his shot after his #UFCVegas97 victory🗣 pic.twitter.com/dvksQPp9tN
Brady and Garry share the same manager, Lloyd Pierson. This is the fight Brady wants if no fight against a guy in the top five is available next. This would be a tough matchup for Garry as he is known for his elite striking ability. Garry did display his improved ability to take people down but unless his grappling improves, it isn’t on Brady’s level yet.
This matchup is perfect for both fighters as Brady is 7-1 in the UFC while Garry is 8-0. Currently, Covington seems unwilling to face a newcomer. If that is the case, this is the fight to make.
- No. 4 Jack Della Maddalena
There have been rumors as of late, stating that JDM will be facing former Undisputed Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman in the near future.
That fight has not been confirmed by the UFC. If it doesn’t happen, Maddalena versus Brady would be a highly entertaining contest. Maddalena and Brady now share a victory over a common opponent in Burns. Maddalena knocked Burns out at UFC 299 in March 2024 but Brady still looked impressive against Burns even though he didn’t get the finish. JDM is 7-0 in the UFC with five finishes.
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