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Kevin Burns MMA RECORD |
Kevin "The Fire" Burns is hardly an incendiary figure outside the cage. Within the cage, it's a very different story. The 29 year old Iowa native's accomplishments in combat sports have come fast and furious over the eight years he's competed. Having grown up with an insatiable appetite for watching boxing, specifically his hero Sugar Ray Leonard, and with only ten months Tae kwan do experience, he took his first MMA bout in a walk up match. The year was 2001; the place was the venerable Toad Holler in Des Moines, IA. His opponent was the now well known Josh Neer. Kevin earned his first win. Satisfied knowing he had natural ability, he did not return to MMA competition until one year later when Neer called him out on a local radio station for a rematch. Now, Burns suffers his first loss at the hands of Neer. Burns immediately enrolls in Brazilian Ju Jitsu and begins training six days a week. That training has never stopped.
Fast forward four years to Burns first pro fight. Again, he meets another fighter that has made his own mark, that being Demi Deeds. Burns drive, discipline, and tenacity come to task as he dominates the match, earning a TKO one minute and twenty seconds into the first round.
Since then, Kevin built a 7-2 pro record (2-1 in the UFC). He amazed the MMA world in UFC 85, when he took a fight against Roan Carneiro in London on only nine days notice. There, he won by submission as the bell sounded the end of the second round. Another impressive TKO followed in UFC Fight Night 14 where he defeated Anthony Johnson in the third round. Quickly accepting a rematch with Johnson only four months later, Burns assessed his first and only UFC loss.
The same dedication that exists in Kevin's training and competition is evident in all areas of his life. An educated professional, a loving father and husband, his desire to enrich the lives of others comes first. Kevin maintains an important leadership position with one of the nation's largest financial institutions and carefully balances his schedule to accommodate his grueling and time consuming training regimen. Reserving quality time for his wife of six years and his newborn daughter, he regularly volunteers his time to provide motivational speaking, and to assist people with the same goal setting and life skills training that are now at the center of his own success.
"Success is a choice, a person must make a deliberate decision to attain it", Burns puts forward. Through every facet of his life, he made that choice, and it has paid off.
Burns next challenge comes on June 20, 2009 when he faces Chris Lytle in UFC's Ultimate Fighter 9 finale at the Palms in Las Vegas, and on Spike TV. A lifetime of preparation and having made the proper choices will go a long way.
