Rivalries: Mads Burnell

Mads Burnell still holds a place among the Bellator MMA featherweight elite.

The 29-year-old Denmark native will attempt to improve upon a 4-2 record in the organization when he faces former M-1 Global champion Daniel Weichel as part of the Bellator 299 main card on Saturday at 3Arena in Dublin. Burnell has won eight of his past 10 bouts. He last appeared on April 22, when he snapped a two-fight losing streak with a three-round unanimous decision over Justin Gonzales at Bellator 295.

As Burnell makes final preparations for his forthcoming confrontation with Weichel at 145 pounds, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:

Arnold Allen

The Tristar Gym rep took out Burnell with a beautifully conceived guillotine choke in the third round of their UFC Fight Night 130 featherweight showcase on May 27, 2018 at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England. Allen brought it to a close 2:41 into Round 3. Burnell appeared to have the upper hand for much of their encounter, as he short-circuited the Firas Zahabi protege’s efforts with takedowns, positional control and ground-and-pound. Bottled up along the fence while defending a takedown in the third round, Allen found the opening for which he was hunting. He snaked his arms around Burnell’s exposed neck, collapsed on top of him and forced the tapout. The UFC jettisoned the Dane a few months later.

Dean Trueman

Burnell dismissed the “Judo” Jim Wallhead disciple with a Japanese necktie to capture the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship featherweight title in the second round of their CW 106 co-feature on June 29, 2019 at Eventim Apollo in London. Trueman raised the white flag of surrender 3:04 into Round 2, suffering his first defeat in more than two years. Burnell was the aggressor from the outset, but progress was slow for the challenger. He struck for a takedown and multiple mat returns inside the first 90 seconds but failed to corral Trueman on the canvas. The Englishman returned to his feet, broke away with elbows and gave Burnell pause with power punches and kicks to multiple levels. Burnell closed the first period with another takedown and advanced to the back, as he threatened the neck until time expired. He walked through considerable fire at the start of Round 2, weathered the potent Trueman clinch game and completed another takedown. Burnell laced his ground-and-pound with elbows and forearm strikes, settled in half guard and cinched the fight-ending choke before his counterpart could escape.

Emmanuel Sanchez

Repeated takedowns and frustrating top control carried Burnell to a unanimous decision the Roufusport mainstay in their Bellator 263 featherweight feature on July 31, 2021 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27. Sanchez flexed his superiority on the feet, where he connected multi-punch bursts, incorporated elbows with ill intent and even zeroed in on the body to great effect. Burnell answered with takedowns and slowly but surely bled the Milwaukee native’s gas tank dry. The Dane was at his best in Round 3, where he put an exclamation point on the performance. There, Burnell spent much of the final five minutes in top position, piling up points and drawing valuable time off the clock. It moved him to 3-0 in Bellator and marked him as one of the top featherweights in the Scott Coker-led promotion.

Pedro Carvalho

Crisp combination punching and undying stick-to-itiveness carried the SBG Ireland export to a unanimous decision over Brunell in their Bellator 285 featherweight attraction on Sept. 23, 2022 at 3Arena in Dublin. All three judges sided with Carvalho: 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. Two closely contested rounds gave way to the decisive third. There, Carvalho worked over the Dane’s body with punches, kicks and knees, secured a takedown inside the first 90 seconds and swamped the Arte Suave standout with positional control and ground-and-pound. Burnell was never in danger of being finished, but he lacked the gas and wherewithal to get back to his feet when doing so was paramount. It resulted in his second straight defeat and sent him tumbling down the ladder of contention at 145 pounds.