Top Reasons to Catch UFC Vegas 106

Gilbert Burns wants to keep his championship window pried open a little while longer.

The soon-to-be 39-year-old Brazilian will attempt to reassert himself in the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight division when he puts the unbeaten Michael Morales to the test in the UFC Fight Night 256 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Burns enters the Octagon on a career-worst three-fight losing streak, his record within the organization having fallen to a still-excellent 15-8. The Kill Cliff Fight Club rep last saw action at UFC Fight Night 242, where he dropped a five-round unanimous decision to Sean Brady on Sept. 7. Morales, meanwhile, has won all 17 of his bouts as a pro. The Entram Gym export last suited up on Aug. 24, when he put away “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 16 semifinalist Neil Magny with punches in the first round of their UFC on ESPN 62 encounter. The spotless Morales resume features 13 finishes, 12 of them by knockout or technical knockout.

In addition to the Burns-Morales showdown at 170 pounds, here are three other reasons to catch UFC Fight Night 256:

Back Against the Wall

Paul Craig long ago established himself as a productive member of the roster, but the sun could soon set on his time in the UFC. “Bearjew” looks to put an end to a three-fight losing streak when he confronts former Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder Rodolfo Bellato in the three-round light heavyweight co-headliner. Craig’s struggles actually extend back to 2022, as he owns a 1-5 record across his past six outings. The Scottish submission specialist last competed on Nov. 16, when four-time NCAA All-American wrester Bo Nickal outpointed him to a unanimous decision at UFC 309. On the other side of the equation, Bellato has not tasted defeat in almost two years. The Knockout Squad product last strapped on the gloves at UFC 312, where he settled for a majority draw with Jimmy Crute on Feb. 8. Bellato, 29, has delivered 11 of his 12 pro victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

Up to the Task

Just how high “The Ultimate Fighter 32” winner Mairon Santos’ ceiling goes remains up for debate. The once-beaten Xtreme Couture prospect draws his most significant assignment to date when he meets Sodiq Yusuff in a three-round lightweight showcase. Santos, 24, steps into the cage with some momentum, bolstered by a modest three-fight winning streak. He improved to 15-1 at UFC 313, where he eked out a split decision over Francis Marshall on March 8. Yusuff, meanwhile, has become something of an enigma. Off-the-charts physical tools have not always lined up with the results for the 31-year-old Lloyd Irvin protégé, who has dazzled at times and disappointed at others. Yusuff now tries to right his ship following back-to-back losses to Edson Barboza and Diego Lopes.

Men of Action

Melquizael Costa finally appears to have his feet under him. Operating out of a Chute Boxe affiliate in Bauru, Brazil, the Joao Emilio disciple sets out on his latest adventure when he squares off with Julian Erosa in a three-round featherweight showcase. Costa, 28, has posted three straight wins since his knockout loss to Steve Garcia in December 2023. The action-minded Brazilian sports nine first-round finishes on his ledger, highlighted by his guillotine choke submission of Andre Fili on Feb. 22. On the other side of the docket, the battle-tested Erosa finds himself in the middle of his own resurgence. A semifinalist on Season 22 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, the Xtreme Couture product has stopped three consecutive opponents inside one round. Erosa made Darren Elkins his most recent victim at UFC 314, where he buried the scar tissue-beset veteran with punches in a little more than four minutes on April 12.