Gilbert Burns is putting the final touches on his training camp ahead of his bout with Mike Malott. The official weigh-in is scheduled for today, with the fights taking place Saturday night into Sunday. Burns is coming off a losing streak and faces questions about whether he can defeat the Canadian opponent. The post asks fans whether they believe Burns can break his current run of losses or if there are concerns about his performance.
Gilbert Burns has wrapped up his training camp and is set to step on the scales Friday ahead of his welterweight clash with Canada's Mike Malott, with the bout scheduled for Saturday night.
Burns, known as "Durinho," enters the fight at a difficult point in his career. The 39-year-old Brazilian, representing Kill Cliff FC, holds a professional record of 22-10 and is currently ranked 13th in the UFC welterweight division. He has been dealing with a losing streak that has raised doubts about where he stands among the division's contenders. Standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, Burns averages 3.15 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and adds a meaningful grappling threat with 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes.
His opponent, Mike Malott, carries a record of 14-2-1 into the contest. The 34-year-old Canadian trains out of Team Alpha Male and brings a notably active striking output, landing 3.93 significant strikes per minute, also at 48 percent accuracy. At six-foot-one with a 73-inch reach, Malott holds physical advantages over Burns and supplements his stand-up game with 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Burns is fighting to reverse a skid that has pushed him down to 13th in the welterweight rankings
- A loss would further complicate any path back toward title contention for the Brazilian veteran
- Malott's edge in height, reach, and striking volume makes the style matchup a genuine challenge for Burns
- Both fighters share identical striking accuracy, meaning output and ring generalship could be the deciding factors
