Gilbert Burns names UFC’s best MMA & pure jiu-jitsu fighters

Two names came to mind for Gilbert Burns when asked about who possesses the best jiu-jitsu in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Burns (22-10) himself was a feared jiu-jitsu artist with nine career submissions. “Durinho” complimenting someone’s jiu-jitsu certainly carries weight and he recently revealed that two of his compatriots have the best grappling in the UFC, although in different aspects.

Charles Oliveira gets Burns’ nod for MMA jiu-jitsu, while Diego Lopes stands out in the pure form
Burns believes Charles Oliveira has the best MMA-focused jiu-jitsu in the UFC. However, he notes that MMA-focused jiu-jitsu is very different from pure jiu-jitsu, with the striking aspect completely out of the equation. According to the former fighter, Diego Lopes has the best pure jiu-jitsu game.

“Pure jiu-jitsu – that’s a different question,” Burns told MMA Fighting. “Because jiu-jitsu in the UFC, I would say Charles [Oliveira] is up there. But pure jiu-jitsu, I think Diego Lopes has great pure jiu-jitsu. That’s what I heard from a lot of guys who trained with him.”

Oliveira (37-11) is undoubtedly one of the greatest jiu-jitsu artists in the history of mixed martial arts. The former lightweight champ has the most finishes and submissions in UFC history. He is on a two-fight winning streak and coming off a BMF title win over Max Holloway.

Meanwhile, Lopes left his home in Brazil at the age of 19 to teach jiu-jitsu in Mexico, which has since become a second home to him. He is 2-2 in his last four, with both losses coming in failed featherweight title bids against Alexander Volkanovski. He’s revealed his intentions to move up to lightweight, so a clash against Oliveira could be on the cards.

Gilbert Burns has two names for the best jiu-jitsu in MMA:

"MMA jiu-jitsu, it's Charles Oliveira. Pure jiu-jitsu, it's Diego Lopes."

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