Bill Algeo and Herbert Burns were giving fans a fight to talk about before it ended in an uncomfortable scene.
The featherweights engaged in a thrilling battle in the first round of their UFC Long Island preliminary bout, with Burns nearly putting Algeo away with an air-tight triangle choke before Algeo somehow escaped and answered with furious ground-and-pound. After five minutes, Burns needed help returning to his stool, and his brother — UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns — had to spur him on to continue.
Though Herbert showed some fight early in Round 2, he once again ended up on his back, and once referee Keith Peterson called for him to stand and resume the contest, he was unable to get back to his feet. The bout was waved off 1:50 into Round 2.
Afterwards, the commentary team mentioned that Burns was coming off of a knee injury that may have been re-aggravated during the fight.
Suffice to say, the wild action and unusual ending had everyone on social media talking, including several fighters who debated the circumstances of the stoppage. Check out the pros reactions here.
How did he escape that situation?
— Randy Costa (@RandyCosta135) July 16, 2022
Good call from the ref
— michael (@bisping) July 16, 2022
Damn… hopefully @HerbertBurnsMMA‘s knee is ok #UFCLongIsland
— Randy Costa (@RandyCosta135) July 16, 2022
fighters like Herbert burns should never fight you could clearly tell he didn’t want to be there.
— Georgi Karakhanyan (@georgimma) July 16, 2022
Great performance @ElSenorPerfecto and even better on the post fight interview!
— Chris Daukaus (@ChrisDaukausMMA) July 16, 2022
INSANE ROUND!!! #UFCLongIsland
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) July 16, 2022
Wooow how did he survive
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) July 16, 2022
Is he getting up from the stool?
— Davey Grant (@DaveyGrantMMA) July 16, 2022
@ufc how do you score that?? Insane round #UFCLongIsland
— Mason Jones (@MasonJones1995) July 16, 2022
Wow what a defense
— C H T O V E R A (@chitoveraUFC) July 16, 2022
Billy A would have been an awesome dope fight against Billy Q! Rebook it! #UFCLongIsland
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) July 16, 2022