Burns, Moroz, Munhoz and more from elite South Florida MMA training centers at UFC 299 Miami

South Florida will be well represented for UFC 299 in Miami.

With three established MMA training centers in the area (and two of those world–renowned), fighters from around the world travel to train here, and some even relocate to live here. You could have an entire UFC card with fighters who train in South Florida; that’s how many good fighters are here.

Like: Gilbert Burns, Maryna Moroz and Pedro Munhoz. All three are on the UFC 299 card, making for a short drive to the Kaseya Center on March 9.

The battle-tested, charitable and warrior-approved Dustin Poirier of ATT is another with South Florida ties on UFC 299’s bill. Burns, Moroz, Munhoz, Poirier and more.

Burns trains at Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach. The last time UFC conducted a show in Miami, it was April 2023 for UFC 287, and Burns defeated Miami’s own Jorge Masvidal in what became Masvidal’s retirement match.

President Trump, Kid Rock, Mike Tyson sat ringside as part of a sold-out crowd — more than 19,000 fans and an $11,900,000 gate, which enticed UFC CEO/president Dana White to return to Miami in 2024.

Masvidal trained at the award-winning American Top Team in (South Florida) Coconut Creek, about six miles from Kill Cliff FC.

ATT is where Moroz and Munhoz train, too.

Burns, 37, is from Niterói, Rio de Janeiro. He will fight Jack Della Maddalena, 27, of Perth, Western Australia in a welterweight bout on the main card. Burns is 22-6, coming off a loss in May 2023 to Belal Muhammad. Maddalena is 16-2, and he is riding a 16-fight win streak, last beating Kevin Holland in September 2023.

Here is my February 2024 video interview with UFC’s Gilbert Burns of Kill Cliff FC.

Munhoz, 37, is from São Paulo, Brazil. He will fight Kyler Phillips, 28, of Torrance, California in a bantamwiehgt bout on the prelims. Munhoz is 20-8 (1-1 in last two fights -- a win over Chris Gutierrez in April 2023 and a loss to Marlon Vera in August 2023). Phillips is 11-2, winning six of his last seven fights, including a win over Raoni Barcelos in August 2023.

Here is my February 2024 video interview with UFC’s Pedro Munhoz of ATT.

Moroz, 32, is from Vilnohirsk, Ukraine, where she began her sports career as a boxer. Her father coached boxing. With little money for women’s boxing in the Ukraine, she turned her attention to MMA. Prior to signing with UFC, she did coach the Ukrainian Olympic women’s boxing team and received a prestigious medal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Here is my February 2024 video interview with UFC’s Maryna Moroz of ATT.

In 2015, Moroz signed with UFC, winning her debut against Scotland’s Joanne Wood in April 2015. She received one of the Performance of the Night bonuses for her submission armbar victory. Full circle, Moroz (11-5) will battle Wood (16-8) in a flyweight bout to open UFC 299.

Locally trained fighters at UFC 299, there are more.

UFC 299 in Miami

UFC returns to Miami with another electric card, headlined by a highly anticipated rematch between UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and No. 6 ranked contender Marlon Vera.

Also, an action packed five-round co-main event sees No. 3 lightweight contender Dustin Poirier of (South Florida) American Top Team square off with No. 12 ranked Benoit Saint Denis.

UFC^® 299: O’MALLEY vs. VERA 2 occurs Saturday, March 9 at the Kaseya Center, with the main card available on ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The prelims will be airing on ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and will join in progress on ESPN starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

The early prelims will be available for viewing exclusively on ESPN + and UFC Fight Pass at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

UFC^®299: O’MALLEY vs. VERA tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

VIP tickets are available via On Location, the UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy behind-the-scenes access with a VIP Experience package that can feature premium seating, post-fight octagon experience, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC fighters and more.

Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

More about UFC 299 in Miami

UFC bantamweight champion O’Malley (17-1 1 NC, fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona) looks to finally settle the score against the only man to hand him a loss. The Arizona-based fighter has delivered highlight performances against top talent such as Aljamain Sterling, Petr Yan, and Raulian Paiva. O’Malley now aims to build upon his legacy as champion by finishing his rival, Vera, in emphatic fashion.

Vera (21-8-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) intends to make the most of his first championship fight by defeating O’Malley for a second time. A versatile finisher and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Vera has claimed strong victories against Dominick Cruz, Frankie Edgar and Pedro Munhoz. He now sets his sights on gold as he attempts to become the first ever Ecuadorian UFC champion.

Poirier (29-8 1 NC, fighting out of (South Florida) Coconut Creek via ATT by way of Lafayette, Louisiana) returns to action seeking redemption. An Octagon veteran, the former Interim UFC lightweight champion holds wins over elite competition such as Conor McGregor (x2), Michael Chandler, and Dan Hooker. Poirier looks to nullify Saint Denis’ title ambitions with a dominant victory over the rising contender.

France’s Saint Denis (13-1 1 NC, fighting out of Paris, France) seeks to further his climb up the lightweight rankings by delivering a highlight finish against a top name. A Judo black belt with impressive striking, the Frenchmen is currently on a five-fight win steak and has finished the likes of Matt Frevola, Thiago Moises, and Ismael Bonfim in his last three outings. Saint Denis now looks to secure the biggest win of his career by defeating Poirier in an unforgettable showing.

Current official bouts on the card include:

• Heavyweight contenders No. 5 Curtis Blaydes (17-4 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Illinois) and No. 7 ranked Jailton Almeida (20-2, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) battle in a pivotal match-up

• Exciting welterweights No. 4 ranked Gilbert Burns (22-6, fighting out of (South Florida) Deerfield Beach via Kill Cliff FC by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Dana White’s Contender Series alum No. 11 Jack Della Maddalena (16-2, fighting out of Perth, Western Australia) look to deliver fireworks

• Welterweights attempt to steal the show as fan-favorite Kevin Holland (25-10 1NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) welcomes UFC newcomer Michael Page (21-2, fighting out of London, England) in what promises to be an epic stand-up clash.

• No. 4 ranked flyweight contender Katlyn Chookagian (18-5, fighting out of Amity Harbor, New York by way of Quakertown, Pennsylvania) clashes with No. 7 Maycee Barber (13-2, fighting out of Sacramento, California) in a pivotal matchup

• No. 6 ranked lightweight Mateusz Gamrot (23-2 1 NC, fighting out of Poznan, Poland) takes on No.11 Rafael Dos Anjos (32-15, fighting out of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) in a high-level bout

• Former UFC champion and the current No. 5 bantamweight contender Petr Yan (16-5, fighting out of Yekaterinburg, Russia) meets No. 7 Song Yadong (21-7-1 1 NC, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) in a highly anticipated match-up

• No. 11 ranked bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz (20-8 2 NC, fighting out of (South Florida) Coconut Creek via American Top Team by way of São Paulo, Brazil) goes toe-to-toe with Kyler Phillips (11-2, fighting out of Glendale, Arizona)

• The always exciting Michel Pereira (28-11, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada) takes on knockout specialist Michal Oleksiejczuk (19-6, fighting out of Barki, Poland) at middleweight

• Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus CJ Vergara (12-4-1, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas) collides with Assu Almabayev (18-2, fighting out of Almaty, Kazakhstan) at flyweight

• Heavyweight Robelis Despaigne (4-0, fighting out of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba) makes his UFC debut against Josh Parisian (15-7, fighting out of Escanaba, Michigan)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change.

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