The UFC Winnipeg main event between Gilbert Burns and Mike Malott is officially confirmed after both fighters successfully completed weigh-ins. Russians Mark Vologdin and Darya Zheleznyakova also made weight for their fights. Thiago Moises and John Castaneda required second weigh-in attempts but ultimately succeeded. Notably, Castaneda requested a catchweight bout at 63 kg the previous evening, which Vologdin accepted. As part of the agreement, Castaneda will forfeit 30% of his purse to Vologdin. All scheduled bouts remain intact for the event.
Gilbert Burns and Mike Malott cleared the scales Friday ahead of their welterweight main event at UFC Winnipeg, locking in the card's headline bout. All scheduled fights remain on for the event after a full day of weigh-ins that required some late adjustments.
Burns, nicknamed "Durinho," enters the fight ranked thirteenth in the welterweight division at 39 years old. The Brazilian out of Kill Cliff FC carries a 22-10 record and brings a well-rounded game to the cage, averaging 2.12 takedowns per fifteen minutes to complement a striking output of 3.15 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy.
The weigh-in day was not entirely smooth. Thiago Moises and John Castaneda both missed weight on their first attempts but came in successfully on second tries. Moises, a 31-year-old Brazilian lightweight from American Top Team, holds a 19-10 record and is a threat on the mat, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes.
Castaneda's situation carried an added wrinkle. The 34-year-old American, who fights out of The Academy under the nickname "Sexi Mexi" and holds a 21-8-1 record, had approached his opponent the previous evening requesting a catchweight agreement at 63 kilograms. His opponent accepted, and as part of the arrangement Castaneda will forfeit 30 percent of his purse. Despite the penalty, the bout stays on the card.
Why it matters
- Burns and Malott's main event is locked in after both men hit the welterweight limit cleanly
- Castaneda's catchweight agreement at 63 kg costs him 30 percent of his purse but preserves his fight
- Moises and Castaneda both needed second attempts, adding scrutiny to the card's weight management heading into fight night
