# Mads Burnell

Mads Burnell (born March 6, 1994) is a Danish mixed martial artist who competes in featherweight division of Bellator MMA. Professional mixed martial artist since 2013, Burnell has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Cage Warriors, where he was a Featherweight champion. He was the European Championship (Brazilian jiu-jitsu) European No-Gi Champion in 2014.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Burnell started his professional MMA career in 2013 and won his first five bouts and met his first defeat when he faced Ott Tonissaar at Octagon Athletes 2. He fought all this fights in Northern Europe and amassed a record of 8–1 prior joining UFC.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Burnell made his promotional debut on September 2, 2017, facing Michel Prazeres, replacing Islam Makhachev at UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve." At the weigh ins, Prazeres missed the lightweight limit of 156 pounds, coming in at 159 pounds. As a result the bout was changed to a catchweight and Prazeres was fined 20% of his purse. He lost the fight via submission due to a north-south choke in the third round.
His second fight came against Mike Santiago on January 14, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
On May 27, 2018, Burnell faced Arnold Allen at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Till. After dominating most of the fight, he was caught in a front naked choke in the third round and lost the fight.
On September 7, 2018, Burnell was released from UFC.

### Cage Warriors

On September 7, 2018, news surfaced that Burnell had signed a contract with Cage Warriors. Burnell made his promotional debut against Lukasz Rajewski at Cage Warriors 99 on November 17, 2018. After weathering the early storm from Rajewski, Burnell took the fight to the ground and finished the fight via rear-naked choke in the first round.
Burnell challenged Dean Trueman for the Cage Warriors featherweight title at Cage Warriors 106 on June 29, 2019. Burnell submitted Trueman by japanese necktie in the second round and captured the featherweight championship.
Burnell was expected to make his first title defense against Steve Aimable at Cage Warriors London on November 22, 2019. However, Aimable could not make championship weight and the fight was changed to non-title bout. Burnell won the fight via unanimous decision.

### Bellator MMA

On August 4, 2020, news surfaced that Burnell had signed a contract with Bellator.
Burnell made his debut on October 10, 2020, at Bellator 248. He faced Darko Banovic and won the fight via TKO in the first round.
Burnell was scheduled to face The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber standout Saul Rogers on April 2, 2021, at Bellator 255. However, the bout was cancelled due to visa issues. It eventually took place on April 16, 2021, at Bellator 257. Burnell won the bout via second round rear-naked choke.
Burnell faced Emmanuel Sanchez at Bellator 263 on July 31, 2021. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
On September 22, 2021, it was announced that Burnell had signed a new, multi-fight contract with Bellator.
Burnell headlined against Ádám Borics on March 12, 2022, at Bellator 276. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.
Burnell faced Pedro Carvalho on September 23, 2022, at Bellator 285. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.
Burnell faced Justin Gonzales on April 22, 2023 at Bellator 295. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
Burnell faced Daniel Weichel on September 23, 2023 at Bellator 299. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

### Professional Fighters League

Moving up to LW, Burnell started the 2024 season with a bout against Michael Dufort on April 12, 2024 at PFL 2. He lost the fight due to a guillotine choke submission.
Burnell faced Clay Collard in the main event of PFL 5 at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, UT on June 21, 2024. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Burnell faced Elvin Espinoza on August 16, 2024 at PFL 8. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
On February 26, 2025, the promotion officially revealed that Burnell will join the 2025 PFL Lightweight Tournament.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Cage Warriors Fighting Championship
** CWFC Featherweight Championship (One time)
* Scottish Organisation of Mixed Martial Arts
** SOMMA Featherweight Championship (One time)
* MMAJunkie.com
** 2019 June Submission of the Month vs. Dean Trueman
* Nordic MMA Awards - MMAviking.com
** 2017 Submission of the Year vs. Fernando Duarte

### Grappling

* European Championship (Brazilian jiu-jitsu)
** European No-Gi Champion 2014

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 26 matches | 20 wins | 6 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 1 |
| By submission | 9 | 3 |
| By decision | 10 | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 20–6 | Elvin Espinoza | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 8 (2024) | August 16, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | 2024 PFL Lightweight Tournament Alternate bout. |
| Win | 19–6 | Clay Collard | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 5 (2024) | June 21, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Loss | 18–6 | Michael Dufort | Submission (guillotine choke) | PFL 2 (2024) | April 12, 2024 | 2 | 1:03 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 18–5 | Daniel Weichel | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 299 | September 23, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Dublin, Ireland | |
| Win | 17–5 | Justin Gonzales | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 295 | April 22, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| Loss | 16–5 | Pedro Carvalho | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 285 | September 23, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Dublin, Ireland | |
| Loss | 16–4 | Ádám Borics | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 276 | March 12, 2022 | 5 | 5:00 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 16–3 | Emmanuel Sanchez | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 263 | July 31, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| Win | 15–3 | Saul Rogers | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Bellator 257 | April 16, 2021 | 2 | 4:08 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 14–3 | Darko Banovic | TKO (punches) | Bellator 248 | October 10, 2020 | 1 | 3:13 | Paris, France | |
| Win | 13–3 | Steve Aimable | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Warriors 111 | November 22, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | London, England | Non-title bout; Aimable missed weight (145.2 lb). |
| Win | 12–3 | Dean Trueman | Submission (Japanese necktie) | Cage Warriors 106 | June 29, 2019 | 2 | 3:04 | London, England | Won the vacant Cage Warriors Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 11–3 | Ahmed Vila | Submission (Japanese necktie) | Cage Warriors 103 | March 9, 2019 | 1 | 0:50 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Win | 10–3 | Lukasz Rajewski | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Warriors 99 | November 17, 2018 | 1 | 3:23 | Essex, England | |
| Loss | 9–3 | Arnold Allen | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Till | May 27, 2018 | 3 | 2:41 | Liverpool, England | |
| Win | 9–2 | Mike Santiago | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Stephens vs. Choi | January 14, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Catchweight (150 lb) bout; Burnell missed weight. |
| Loss | 8–2 | Michel Prazeres | Submission (north-south choke) | UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve | September 2, 2017 | 3 | 1:26 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Lightweight bout; Prazeres missed weight (159 lb). |
| Win | 8–1 | Fernando Duarte Bagordache | Submission (Japanese necktie) | Scottish Organisation of MMA 2 | November 11, 2016 | 1 | 1:21 | Glasgow, Scotland | Won the vacant SOMMA Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–1 | Anthony Riggio | Submission (Japanese necktie) | MMA Galla: Gonzalez vs. Djursaa | September 17, 2016 | 1 | N/A | Odense, Denmark | Return to Featherweight. |
| Win | 6–1 | Emerik Youmbi | Decision (unanimous) | ICE Fighting Championships 12 | November 5, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Newcastle, England | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Ott Tonissaar | TKO (punches) | Octagon Athletes 2 | November 7, 2015 | 2 | N/A | Toreby, Denmark | |
| Win | 5–0 | Hyram Rodriguez | Decision (unanimous) | Battle of Copenhagen: Reunion | October 3, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Lightweight debut. |
| Win | 4–0 | Jamie Reynolds | Submission (armbar) | Odense Fight Night 3 | April 25, 2015 | 1 | 0:30 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Win | 3–0 | Nasir Aoubi | Decision (unanimous) | Trophy MMA 4: Summerbreak | August 30, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Malmö, Sweden | |
| Win | 2–0 | Ali Selcuk Ayin | Submission (brabo choke) | European MMA 8 | February 22, 2014 | 1 | 0:50 | Brondby, Denmark | |
| Win | 1–0 | Aleksander Sredanovic | Submission (d'arce choke) | European MMA 6 | September 26, 2013 | 1 | N/A | Brondby, Denmark | Featherweight debut. |