Gilbert Burns had no intention of walking away from the sport heading into his last UFC fight.
Burns stepped back into the Octagon last Saturday after nearly a year on the sidelines, headlining UFC Winnipeg against Canadian prospect Mike Malott at the Canada Life Centre in Manitoba. The outcome, though, was far from what the former welterweight title challenger envisioned, as he was stopped in the third round.
Although “Durinho” showed grit and held his own against Malott, the pace and timing largely favored his opponent. Burns was ultimately rocked by a heavy right hook from “Proper”, which set the sequence that led to the finish, as a barrage of follow-up strikes on the ground forced the referee to step in at 2:08 of the third round.
During his post-fight Octagon interview, the 39-year-old Brazilian, Gilbert Burns, placed his gloves on the canvas and announced he was bringing the curtain down on a decade-long run in the UFC.
Gilbert Burns Had No Retirement Plans Until UFC Winnipeg Defeat
During a backstage interview with Paramount+, Gilbert Burns revealed he entered the fight against Mike Malott focused solely on victory, with no thoughts of retirement. The decision to walk away, he explained, came instantly in the aftermath of his setback at UFC Winnipeg.
“I was crazy confident that I was going to get the win,” Burns said. “I was 1,000 percent confident that I was going to win. I knew if something went wrong, I didn’t want to do this anymore, not because of anyone, but because I’m not showing my 100 percent. Maybe it’s the age or whatever, but I don’t feel (good). I feel a little stuck. I feel a little stuck. I cannot let go, and I’m like, ‘You know what? If I can’t win, if I can’t show everything I’ve got, I don’t want to do this just for a paycheck.’ I tried to leave everything, and if I cannot do it, it’s fine; we move on.”
“Durinho’s” UFC stint came to a close on the back of a tough five-fight skid, with his last victory coming against former BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287 in April 2023. Gilbert Burns had previously put together a dominant six-fight winning streak, which earned him a title shot against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 258 in February 2021, where he was knocked out in the third round.
Burns compiled a 15-10 record in the UFC, highlighted by notable victories over Demian Maia, Neil Magny, and Tyron Woodley, while finishing his professional career with an overall record of 22-10.
