LAS VEGAS – UFC president Dana White did not intend on losing Shane Burgos.
Burgos (15-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) decided to fight out his contract and explore free agency after he defeated Charles Jourdain in July at UFC on ABC 3. The fan-favorite featherweight ended up receiving an offer he couldn’t refuse from the PFL, and after the UFC didn’t match it, he now has a new home.
A big fan of Burgos’ attitude and fighting style, White regrets not re-signing him.
“He’s not here. That was the mistake,” White told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Tuesday night. “I like the kid. Listen, do I think Shane Burgos was gonna move on and be a world champion and all this? No. But he’s fun. I like guys that come out, and they bring it every single time they fight and guys who want to perform and guys who want to win.
“Who has it more than that kid does? So I’m happy for him. I’m happy for him, and good for the PFL too. He’s a great kid and not just an exciting, fun fighter, but he’s a great person. So, yeah, good for everybody involved in that. We’re not perfect, but we don’t f*ck up often. We don’t f*ck up often, but we f*cked that one up.”
In 11 UFC fights, Burgos, 31, went 8-3, scoring notable wins over Cub Swanson, Makwan Amirkhani, Billy Quarantillo, and Jourdain. He earned the Fight of the Night bonus on four occasions and leaves the UFC ranked in the top 15 at 145 pounds.
