It’s been said that can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Whether that’s true for every scenario or not, it seems to have worked for UFC lightweight Gilbert Burns.

After being – nicely – called out by Burns (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) on MMAjunkie Radio earlier this month, Canadian striking specialist John Makdessi (16-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) says he’s down to meet the Brazilian grappling ace in the octagon.

Not only that, he’s also fine with time and place picked out by his possible opponent: UFC on ESPN 2, which takes place March 30 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

“That makes sense – why not?” Makdessi told MMAjunkie Radio this past week. “Given he’s on a win streak, he’s a very dangerous opponent and this is a great matchup for the fans.”

It’s worth noting that Burns is not on a winning streak – his most recent win, a unanimous decision over Olivier Aubin-Mercier at UFC 231, meant recovery from a loss to Daniel Hooker back in July.

Still, winning three out of four in the calendar year, with two of those wins being massive knockouts, is not bad at all. And then there’s a very relevant fact about Burns’ most recent victim that carries specific significance for Makdessi.

“I believe that, when it comes to the Canadian market, there’s not too many exciting fighters, and he beat a Canadian fighter,” Makdessi said. “I really want to bring back the MMA community back to Canada, back to Montreal, and get the fans behind me.”

Clearly, there’s not ill will between the two lightweights. If anything, they’re seeing eye-to-eye here. Both see in the other the possibility of an interesting, exciting match-up. Neither are interested in talking smack or showing respect toward one another.

“We don’t need to talk (expletive) at this point of our career,” Makdessi said. “I’m a veteran.”

Now, that doesn’t mean that Makdessi doesn’t take it at all personally. “It is me – he called my name out,” after all, and that very fact makes it personal for him. But, the way he sees it, they have one job as fighters: Bringing excitement to fans.

And, ready to return to action after fighting only once in both 2018 and 2017, he’s glad that the Brazilian grappling ace stepped up to try to make that happen in Philadelphia.

“I dedicated my whole life to martial arts. I don’t come from a fighting family, so obviously I’ve had my ups and downs,” Makdessi said. “But I feel I’m at my best. And I’m very happy that someone out there had the balls to call me out.

“At the end of the day, I respect all fighters. But this is business. It’s all about entertainment and exciting the fans and everyone knows my style – there’s no boring fight with John ‘The Bull.’”

For more on UFC on ESPN 2, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Dan Tom. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.