MMA rankings report: Gilbert Burns makes move at welterweight

Plenty has been said about Charles Oliveira’s statement win over Kevin Lee at UFC on ESPN+ 28, and not without good reason: This was a signature victory for “Do Bronx” as he inches closer to the top of the pack in the lightweight division.

But that wasn’t the only statement made last Saturday in Brasilia, Brazil. In the evening’s co-feature bout, Gilbert Burns earned an important victory of his own with his first-round finish of the great Demian Maia.

That’s five wins in a row for the Hard Knocks competitor by way of Brazil, and that’s enough to move him up in a deep welterweight division, where he’s now No. 12 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

Additionally, Nikita Krylov at light heavyweight (14) and Brandon Moreno at flyweight (5) had victories that bolstered their spots in their respective weight classes.

So what does this all mean? Hear from rankings chair “Gorgeous” George of MMA Junkie Radio and MMA Junkie lead reporter John Morgan as they discuss last weekend’s only show with real rankings implications in the latest edition of the MMA rankings report.