Conner Burks
Appearances
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Everything, man. I try to stay busy. Thanks for having me, man. I'm so hyped for this card. I cannot wait. And congratulations to you. Thank you. A new father, man. What a way to bring in 2025.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
I mean, what a treat we're getting from the UFC to start this year. Like, this is an elite-level pay-per-view. You're getting two title fights on it, pound-for-pound number one on the main event. You got a guy in Murad Duvalishvili on an 11-fight win streak going against an undefeated Nurmagomedov who's trying to become a champion in his own right.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
And then just the card is as deep as it gets, man. It's unbelievable. Yeah, the main event. Islam Makachev, Armin Saroukian, we're getting a rematch. If you haven't watched the first fight, Islam won clearly, but it was competitive. It was close. It went into a decision. And that was Armin's debut in the UFC. He's obviously grown a lot since then.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
And I mean, like right now, I think the line is like minus 450 or something in Islam. I think it's going to be a lot closer than that.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Of course he is, man. Of course he's deserved respect. Twenty six and one. A lot of people think pound for pound number one. And it's exactly what you said, man. He'll fight whoever you put in front of him. That's what's incredible about him. He went from fighting Bobby Green in the apex to a title shot against Charles Oliveira.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
And he looked the exact same in both of them, gets the finish and, you know, wins the belt. And it's not up to him who he's going to fight, whether it's going to be Dustin Poirier, Volk coming up from 145. He fights whoever is in front of him, and he knows that he's the best in the world. I mean, he has the quote on the wall, I think, at the UFC PI.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
It's just like, you're not afraid of anyone if you're the champion of the world because you know that you're the best in the world. And he's proven that time and time again. I mean, it really is just such a cold line. And You know, he fights Volk. It's a very close fight. Some people scored it for Volk, but ultimately he gets the win.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
And then he's excited to rematch him because he's like, I'm going to right the wrong. It actually isn't that close. I'm actually way better than this dude. Comes out, head kicks him into the ether. You know, I still have PTSD from that being such a big Volk fan.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
But like and then now he's fighting the rightful contenders, you know, maybe Poirier got, you know, circumstantially lucky to get that title shot back in June. But he put on an incredible fight, you know, went toe to toe with Islam. And now he's getting the rightful number one contender in Armin Sarukin, who's earned this title shot, who is an incredible fighter in his own right.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
So, yeah, man, Islam, he deserves this respect. He is one of the pound for pound best fighters in the entire world. And he's going to go down as one of the greats at 155. Wow.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Yeah, man. So like I mentioned it earlier, like he makes the debut in the UFC against Islam Akashev, like what tall tasks to go up against. And then since then, I think he's lost one fight against Matej Gamrot in a razor close decision that a lot of people thought that he won that one. They, you know, controversial, uh, round four in a 48-47 decision. All three judges had it for Gamrot.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
A lot of people had it for Armin Sorokin, though, including myself. And that's really the only blemish that you've seen him have. And he's gone against the best, similar to Islam Makachev, Charles Oliveira, Benil Dariush got a
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
nasty nasty knockout in december of 2023 against him uh he can grapple with the best of them go back and watch the first islam fight go back and watch the gamrot fight the scrambles in that one and then go back and watch the charles olivera fight i mean almost got submitted in the very first round against olivera was able to get out of that comeback and win that fight uh by a unanimous decision or split decision actually but you know i i scored that one for him um so yeah i mean grapples with the best of them had you know
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
has ability to knock people out on the feet. If you watch the Benil Darius one, a completely well-rounded game, Jack to the gills.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
It's terrifying, dude. He's in there doing somersaults. He's in there doing backflips like one of the most athletic people in the UFC. He just hasn't really broken into, especially in the in the United States, into like star power. You know, he's a little bit more reserved, but you beat Islam Makhachev. That's how you that's how you jump into that stratosphere of stardom.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
So incredible athlete, incredible fighter. And I really do think it's going to be closer than the odds reflect.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
And Islam is that star, man. I mean, you can say it about him, too. Like, he's more reserved. Like, he's not going to be up there getting fired up, screaming crazy shit at press conferences or anything. Like, man, he's got some funny lines, the interactions with DC, the respect he has for all the other fighters in Poirier.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
He just did a sit-down interview with Demetrius Johnson, and just, like, the respect he has for him. Like, Islam Makachev is loved around the world, man. Like, he's huge on socials. He's got millions and millions of followers. So, yeah, man. Get a win over Islam Makachev and you'll jump into that stratosphere of superstardom.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
I'm going and still, man. If he just finds a way.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Dude, he just finds a way, man. He will go to war with these people, but he ends up finding a way to get it done.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Yeah, I mean, Umar, obviously, you know, he can strike and he is a very accomplished wrestler and grappler as well. But I'm just curious as how he's going to handle the endless gas tank of Murad Dabalashvili. He truly weaponizes that cardio. I mean, you go back to the Pyotr Yan fight. It was like 54 takedown attempts or something like that. Like he just does not stop.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Like you have to put this man out to get him to stop. So at this point on an 11 fight win streak and like go back and look at the last four wins, too. Sean O'Malley champion, Henry Cejudo, former champion, Piotr Jan, former champion, Jose Aldo, former champion. Like he is beating the best of the best in there.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
And he's doing it, you know, by decision, but in emphatic, dominant fashion, like he 50, 45 Piotr Jan across the board, who was one of the best bands in the world. Whereas, you know, Umar, his best one is Corey Sandhagen. Really the only time we've seen him truly tested is, The line on this one is crazy disrespectful to me, man. Merab as high as plus 275, 11-fight win streak.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
I just mentioned the names he's beating. Like... I don't know, man. Until I see someone beat Marab, it's just like I have to have faith that he's just going to be able to do what he wants. He has the last five, six, seven times out we've seen him.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Oh, God, man. Don't even get me started on that.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
All right, I'm going to go and still. I'm going to go with the dog, Murad defends his belt. You say he gets buried, though. Undefeated Nurmagomedov becomes a new champion. The lineage, Abdulmanap, father's plan, continues on. Cousin Umar gets his belt. I think it'll make headlines and make waves. 19-0 bantamweight champion of the world with a Nurmagomedov last name.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Brother, if you go in there to strike with Alex Pereira, you're pretty much going to meet the same fate every single time. And both these guys tried to do it. Yuri tried to do it twice. So I don't fault them at all for that. Love the way both these guys fight. They come into scrap, especially Yuri, man. I don't care how many times this guy loses. I will always sign up for a Yuri-Prihasha fight.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
It's just utter chaos. And I think that's what we get here, man. I think if you really want to talk about the co-main getting buried, I think that this is just a mad chaos fight. One round, maybe a round and a half, just war that ends up with someone. Yeah, and it ends up with someone getting finished, and that's how the co-main gets buried. But I love this fight, dude. I don't know how you can't.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Jamal's got something to prove, man. He's always jumping on Twitter, on his YouTube channel, talking about how he's going to come back to the belt and fight Poiton again. And then Yuri, the quiet samurai, focused, locked in, needs this win. Needs this win bad, man. You don't want to fall out of the title picture too far.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
So I think they're both going to put it on the line, and I think it's going to be a banger.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Can we talk about, like, at 35 years old, he's found the Fountain of Youth four-fold win streak. If he wins this one, like I'm talking about, he's one run away from a 155 title shot. Like, it's crazy, man. Getting on the microphone, blowing up on YouTube. Got to be excited about that one. Reigning to Ritter from one championship, another one. Peyton Talbot, star in the making.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
This card is so stacked, dude. The last, like, eight fights are must-see television.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Shit, man. 3-2 is not that bad either. We got two title shots on that one, too. It's not that bad. DDP, Strickland. You got Zhang Weili versus Tatiana Suarez could be an undefeated champion. But, yeah, 3-11 is the cream of the crop. It's as good as it gets, man.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
It's a placeholder, brother. All it is is just who's going to fight Hamza Chamaya for the middleweight title.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Nailed it. Nailed it. Three TV set up. Middle, you got the actual fights on the pay-per-view on. Left, you got us. Right, you got you guys. And it's this beautiful, symmetrical, just enjoyment of fights.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
MMA Hangout: UFC 311
Yeah, man. Ariel Helwani channel on YouTube. Go ahead and subscribe. Boys in the Back on Thursdays. Watch Parties on Saturdays. Tony, my man. Can't appreciate you enough. Congrats again on the newborn child, brother.