Mike Malott finishes Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg

Mike Malott delivered the biggest win of his career on Saturday night, finishing Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC Winnipeg to extend his winning streak to four consecutive fights.

Malott, 34, improved his record to 14-2-1 with the stoppage, capping a dominant run that has firmly established the Canadian welterweight as one of the division's rising forces. Fighting out of Team Alpha Male, the six-foot-one orthodox striker brings a 73-inch reach and one of the more active outputs in the division, landing 3.93 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also adds a consistent threat on the ground, averaging 1.88 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 0.8 submission attempts in the same span.

Burns, 39, ends his decorated career with a record of 22-10-0. The Brazilian veteran, nicknamed "Durinho," was a former UFC title challenger and ranked 13th at welterweight heading into this bout. Fighting out of Kill Cliff FC, Burns had long been regarded as one of the most complete fighters in the welterweight division, landing 3.15 significant strikes per minute and averaging 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes over the course of his career. The Winnipeg card marked his retirement bout, closing the chapter on a run that reached the highest levels of the sport.

Why it matters

• Malott's four-fight winning streak positions him as a legitimate welterweight contender to watch heading deeper into 2026
• Defeating a former title challenger of Burns' caliber is a significant résumé addition and could push Malott into the divisional rankings
• The retirement of Burns removes a veteran presence from the 170-pound landscape, opening space for fighters like Malott to climb