A big name in the fight world has returned to the market after leaving the Dana White-led UFC two years ago to pursue new opportunities. He got a deal that made financial sense back then, but the momentum was not the same. His last fight, in August 2023, even became a Fight of the Year contender; however, he hasn’t fought since. Now he’s speaking up, eager to return to where it all began. So, who is the mysterious fighter that we are talking about? Well, it’s none other than Shane Burgos.
“I’m a free agent now. I would really like to finish my career in the UFC. I haven’t fought in over a year, but financially, I’m good. It’s so relieving to want to fight instead of needing to fight,” Burgos stated on Jenny Anderson’s show The Art of Fight. When he left the UFC in 2022, it was not an easy decision. But what made matters worse was that his PFL run did not go as planned, ending with a 1-2 record. While his fight with Clay Collard was action-packed, his career stalled due to inactivity.
Burgos hoped to have a greater impact, but the momentum never picked up. Now that free agency is open again, his next move is clear: ‘Hurricane’ wants to return to the Dana White-led promotion. Shane Burgos may not have been a champion, but he was a fighter worth watching. With an 8-3 UFC record and four Fight of the Night honors, his comeback might add new interest to the featherweight division.
If the head honcho of the promotion, Dana White, sees value in Burgos’ return, he may be given the opportunity to complete what he began inside the Octagon. The featherweight scene has changed since his absence, but ‘Hurricane’ has always thrived in high-stakes fights. It’s unclear whether the UFC will welcome him back, but one thing is certain: he’s ready to fight. But this move will surely make many question why the fighter left the UFC in his prime in the first place.
The reason why Shane Burgon took the leap to the PFL
Many people were surprised when Burgos announced his departure from the UFC in 2022. He was not on a losing streak. He was not washed up. In fact, ‘Hurricane’ had just defeated Charles Jourdain in a Fight of the Night. Nonetheless, he walked away from the largest MMA promotion in the world, taking a risk that few in his position would have. But why? Well, the move was not about chasing another belt; it was about something much more personal.
“Honestly, just to be as blunt as possible, it’s the money,” Burgos said. “This is an opportunity to change my family’s life.” The PFL’s season format promised him several fights in a short period of time, and if he made it, the million-dollar prize would change his life. More significantly, his per-fight salary in the PFL was too good to refuse. But Burgos wasn’t naive. He had never fought four times in eight months in the UFC before. “This is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he stated before entering the SmartCage. However, as history has proven, the PFL has been a harsh test for former UFC fighters.
Big stars like Anthony Pettis and Rory MacDonald struggled, while others like Marlon Moraes and Thiago Santos found their UFC credentials meaningless in a league constructed around a punishing schedule. Burgos wasn’t concerned. “Everyone else is everyone else. I’m different,” he explained. However, the results did not go his way. Now, after a 1-2 record and more than a year away from the cage, ‘Hurricane’ is back in free agency, hoping that his gamble on financial security does not cost him his career legacy. What do you think? Should Dana White bring back Shane Burgos to the UFC? Let us know in the comments.
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