Henry Briones

Jose Enrique Briones (born October 22, 1980), better known as Henry Briones, is a Mexican mixed martial artist and competed in Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Background
Briones grew up in Tijuana playing inline hockey due to the lack of ice hockey rinks in his native Mexico. For his senior year in the high school, Henry moved to live with his aunt in Tulsa, Oklahoma in pursuit of professional ice hockey career. However, his dream did not materialize and he returned to Mexico to attend law school. Compared to most of the mixed martial arts fighters, Briones started combat sport much later in life. He started training MMA when he joined ENTRAM gym at the age of 26.

Early career
Briones fought primary in the Mexico circuit and amassed a record of 15-4–1 prior joining the UFC. Initially, Briones tried out for UFC's Latin America developmental program and was accepted into it.

The Ultimate Fighter
After training at Jackson's MMA for over a year at UFC's expense, he was a participant in The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 1, an installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) produced reality TV series "The Ultimate Fighter" in May 2014. He faced Marlon Vera on quarter-final round and lost the fight, failing to be selected as one of the contestants of the show.

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Briones made his promotional debut on November 15, 2014, at UFC 180 in Mexico City against Guido Cannetti. He won the fight via rear-nake choke in round two. He earned a Fight of the Night bonus for his performance.

He next faced Cody Garbrandt on July 11, 2015, at UFC 189. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Briones was scheduled to faced Brad Pickett on February 27, 016 at UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping, but he pulled out from the fight, citing injury, and was replaced by Francisco Rivera. The match was rescheduled to UFC Fight Night: Arlovski vs. Barnett six months later on September 3, 2016, and the bout was removed where Briones for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by  Iuri Alcântara.

On November 5, 2016, Brinoes took on Douglas Silva de Andrade at UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Ferguson. A spinning back fist from  Silva de Andrade sent Briones to the ground and he lost the fight on round 3.

The bout between Briones and Brad Pickett was rescheduled for the third time on March 18, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Manuwa vs. Anderson, and yet again the bout was cancelled due to Briones withdrew from the fight one week before the event and was replaced by Marlon Vera.

Briones faced Rani Yahya on August 5, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno. He lost the fight via a kimura submission in the first round.

Briones faced Frankie Saenz on May 19, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 129. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

On November 5, 2019, it was announced that Briones had been released from the UFC following four straight losses in the promotion.

Personal life
Briones' moniker "Bure" was coined by hockey fans where they saw the similarity between Briones and the Russian ice hockey player, Pavel Bure, during his high school years when Brones played hockey league in Mexico. Briones decided to keep the nickname given by fans to honour them where he spent 14 years of his life in the sport.

Briones worked in a law firm during the weekdays and worked as a bar tender during the weekends prior to fighting professionally.

Mixed martial arts

 * Cage Gladiators 
 * Cage Gladiators Lightweight Champion (One time) vs. Joe Gustina
 * Ultimate Fighting Championship
 * Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Guido Cannetti