Sick and written off, Gurule stuns unbeaten Hasan by split decision at UFC 334

Luis Gurule handed Bilal Hasan his first professional loss by split decision in the UFC 334 main card opener at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday, pulling off one of the night’s biggest upsets despite entering as a heavy underdog and fighting through food poisoning on the day of the bout.

Gurule, 33, said he was unable to keep food down before stepping into the cage — leaving him lighter than he had ever been heading into a fight. Rather than letting the circumstances derail him, he leaned on his belief in himself and his corner.

“I just kept belief in myself. I kept belief in my team. I silenced all the noise about the odds, about the ChatGPT, about, you know, just everything,” Gurule said at his post-fight press conference.

The win was built on a grappling-heavy game plan that Gurule said exceeded his own expectations. He had anticipated pressuring Hasan and grinding him down on the mat, but the ease with which he controlled the previously unbeaten flyweight surprised even him.

“I definitely thought I was going to be able to capitalize on my grappling. I felt like he wasn’t really tested there,” Gurule said. “Once I got the read after the first round, I was like, honestly, I was surprised I was able to keep him down as easily.”

Gurule credited training partners Brandon and Alex for pushing him to the level required to pull off the upset, and said he intends to stay active and work his way up the flyweight rankings following the result.