UFC cutman Brad Tate proud of positive presence, gives origin of Gilbert Burns 'rivalry'

LAS VEGAS – Brad Tate considers himself blessed.

“I’ve always said, ‘If you find something you love, you’ll never work another day in your life, and that’s the truth,'” Tate recently told MMA Junkie on the 16th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards red carpet. “I don’t work. I’m having a blast. I get to hang out with my friends who have become family. You guys have celebrated me and embraced me and have let me be a goofball in the world. You laugh at me, and I love it.”

One of the most recognizable faces in the industry, Tate has worked as a cutman for 18 years. He’s built a strong bond with many fighters – and a large online following of those who like to observe his playful and comedic interactions with some of the UFC’s top talent.

Perhaps Tate’s most popular reoccurring Instagram segment highlights his “rivalry” with Gilbert Burns and other Brazilian fighters. No setting is safe from sneak attack takedown attempts by Burns, who appears to get a tremendous amount of pleasure out of dragging Tate to the floor wherever they cross paths.

“The thing with me and Gilbert is that I’m a mouth,” Tate said. “If you ever see the content with me and DC, I just don’t know when to shut up. Exactly, I was talking trash to Gilbert and of course he took me down. So I think it started in Houston, Texas. I was like, ‘Dude, you’re not so tough.’ I grabbed him and picked him up. Then, it was on from there. Of course, he ended up beating me up. Then, when he’d have his back turned, I’d sneak in and then run away. He ate it up.

“He’s held me and the whole Brazilian community has embraced me, from him to Charles (Oliveira) to so many of the other fighters. Again, I feel like what I do is that I have a serious job and I come in there for five minutes and make it unserious. Then, they can get back to doing what they doing. That just helps me and everything else. What you see is what you get. It’s not just me hamming it up for the cameras. I really am a goofball.”

Tate recalls one time in particular that a play-scuffle with Burns almost took a turn in a Houston elevator. Luckily for the innocent bystanders, the ride was only so long.

“There was an African convention going on,” Tate said. “So we’re in the elevator. It was Gilbert and a couple of his teammates. We go at it. This woman is in the elevator and she freaks out. He’s like, ‘No, no, you guys got to stop.’ But I was already committed. I was like, ‘I’ve got to win this one because the door is open and I’ve got to run away.’ That’s the only time it’s ever happened. Now, people just kind of look and go, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ Now, when they see me and Gilbert together, they almost want to see us start fighting. I’m like, ‘OK.’ So it’s a lot of fun. It’s a blast.”

The never-ending takedown battle is just one way Tate tries to radiate good energy. He also has gone viral for his hilarious reactions to various warmup routines, including the time coach Marcio Malko gave hype slaps to Marina Rodriguez.

Tate says his usual cutman work week is limited to a couple days. While his job description centers around dressing up wounds, Tate proudly heals minds and spirits through humor and positivity.

“We typically get in on a Friday,” Tate said. “Then on that day, I do all my prep work. I make my knuckle pads. I get my gear in order for the fight that night. That’s it. I’ll go out and meet the fans and socialize. I’ll have a great time and goof off and get more content posted, laugh with the guys and then relax. A lot of it is prep work, just being ready for the fight on Saturday.”