UFC Fight Night 95 winner Michel Prazeres says his economy car was better than Gilbert Burns' Formula 1

BRASILIA, Brazil – Slowly but surely, Michel Prazeres is racking up wins in the UFC’s lightweight division.

With the decision call over Gilbert Burns (11-2 MMA, 4-2) at this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 95, Prazeres (20-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is now on a three-fight streak, having won five out of his six last bouts.

However, in spite of only having two career losses – including one in the welterweight division, in his UFC debut – “Trator” (Portuguese for tractor) still isn’t satisfied with what he’s shown.

After an all-decisions record in the octagon, he is still missing a finish.

“I expected a knockout,” Prazeres said. “I still haven’t shown the world who I am, who Michel really is. Where I came from – my muay Thai, boxing and jiu-jitsu fights were by finishes. I want a knockout or a submission in the UFC. I’m looking for that.

“Ever since I arrived, I’ve only been getting tough guys – and I want to thank the matchmakers because I’ve been getting to show more and more what I’m capable of.”

The lightweight bout closed out the preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 95 event at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia. It aired on FS1 following additional prelims on UFC Fight Pass and ahead of a main card on FS1.

While happy to face a well-known name in Burns, Prazeres wasn’t particularly pleased with remarks made by his opponent prior to their scrap. Responding to Prazeres’ statements that they had an equally good ground game, Burns had said that comparing the two was like comparing someone “who just got their driver’s license to a Formula 1 pilot.”

That’s why, after the fight, Prazeres took the opportunity to have a few words – both good and bad – with his fellow countryman.

“He’s a tough guy, but he was unfortunate in his remarks,” Prazeres said. ”I wanted to tell him MMA was born in Belem do Para, the North of Brazil, that’s where Helio Gracie and the Gracie family came from. MMA was born there. So he was very unfortunate in his statement that he was a Formula 1 car, and I was an economy car.

“I showed that my technique surpassed his Formula 1 car, my economy car. I told him he’s a good fighter, that he needs to train more. I thanked him for taking the fight. I congratulated him for giving me the opportunity to fight him because he’s a very well-known guy – known worldwide – and I’m his fan.”

While Prazeres believes that an opponent of Burns’ pedigree was a major step on his octagon career, he doesn’t believe the grappling ace was the toughest competition he faced.

“He’s an important guy,” Prazeres said. “But I’ve fought tougher guys in the upper division who also gave me a lot of work. They were bloody battles.”

The 33-year-fighter currently lives in Belem, Brazil, where he also works as a special forces police officer. However, he also announced he is about to make a move to the U.S. – more specifically, to Sacramento, Calif. – where he will join renowned Team Alpha Male looking to perfect his chops.

“I’m going there until the end of the year,” Prazeres said. “The colonel gave me a special one-year leave that won’t hurt the rotation or my budget.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 95, check out the UFC Events section of the site.