While some fighters might look to downplay the importance of their first headlining slot in a major promotion, Mads Burnell is not among them.
The Danish featherweight as actually quite thrilled to be competing in the main event of Saturday’s Bellator 276, and he’s happy to celebrate the accomplishment.
“It’s a milestone I’m super proud of,” Burnell told The Underground. “Coming from little Denmark and then to be in a main event in America, it’s a milestone in my career, and it’s something I’m very proud of. I remember, it might sound cliche, but I told everybody back in school and stuff that I was going to go and main event in America. Well, here I am, so it’s pretty cool.”
Burnell has earned main event status rather quickly in his Bellator run, getting the nod in his just his fourth appearance for the promotion. Previous runs in the UFC and Cage Warriors certainly prepared him for the moment, but he wasn’t sure the opportunity would arrive so swiftly.
“I actually don’t know what I expected regarding that,” Burnell said. “I always just go in and do me and try to put on the best performance, and I always hope my work speaks for itself, and apparently Bellator have been recognizing it and put me in the main event. What more can I ask for?”
Of course, getting a main event for any promotion usually means you’re paired up against one of the organization’s other top fighters, and that’s certainly the case here. Burnell (16-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) and Adam Borics (17-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) each sit at No. 2 in the official Bellator rankings, and they now meet in the featured bout of Saturday’s Bellator 276, which airs live on Showtime from Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
Burnell admits he’s impressed by what Borics brings to the table.
“I think he’s a very European-style kickboxer, very Eastern European-style kickboxer,” Burnell said. “Of course he’s well-rounded. I mean, you don’t get to this level if you’re not well-rounded, and yeah, I think he’s a good mixed martial artist. He’s in the position he’s in for a reason.”
Borics’ striking has been impressive throughout his Bellator tenure, but he does have a dangerous submission game, as well. But Burnell said he’s not overly concerned about either aspect of his opponent’s game and knows he’ll simply have to stay sharp everywhere if he hopes to have his hand raised.
“I’m going in there with a free mindset,” Burnell said. “I think that I’ve proved this a couple of times – like, when people think I’m going to go in there and grapple, then I’ll go in there and smash the guy on the feet. Then when people think, ‘Oh, he might go in there and box a little,’ then I’ll go in and take the dude down, so I usually go in with an open mindset.
“Whatever the fight brings, I’m ready for it, and I’m going in there with an open mindset, and yeah, that’s it. I’m just trying to be the best version of me.”
While Bellator officials have yet to make any official announcements, the winner of this fight would be in prime position to challenge the winner of next month’s rematch between reigning featherweight champion A.J. McKee and former dual-division titleholder Patricio Freire.
Burnell said he hasn’t heard anything official but believes that’s the next logical move, as well. But he knows none of that matters unless he delivers in his first main event for the promotion.
That’s exactly what he plans to do, and he’s hoping Borics is ready to do the same.
“All I know is from my end of the table, I’m going to f-cking bring it,” Burnell said. “Whatever happens, happens.”
To see the full interview with Burnell, check out the video above.
