Gilbert Burns has officially retired from MMA competition. The scheduled fight between Guskov and Blachowicz has been cancelled, but another Polish fighter, Ibo Baraniewicz, will step in as a replacement. Arman Tsarukyan defeated Faber 13-1 and called out Colby Covington post-fight, promising to dominate him and make everyone forget about him as a wrestler. Hamzat Chimaev has signed a contract with the RAF wrestling league. Bo Nickal immediately responded to Chimaev's signing by challenging the champion.
Gilbert Burns has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, closing the book on a decorated career at welterweight. The news arrives alongside several other significant developments across the sport on April 19, 2026.
Burns, nicknamed "Durinho," finishes his career with a record of 22 wins and 10 losses. The 39-year-old Brazilian, who competed out of Kill Cliff FC, spent years as one of the most dangerous fighters in the welterweight division, sitting at number 13 in the rankings at the time of his retirement. A technically sound orthodox fighter standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, Burns averaged 3.15 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and added consistent grappling pressure with more than two takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career.
Separately, the scheduled light heavyweight bout between Guskov and Jan Blachowicz has been pulled from the card. Polish fighter Ibo Baraniewicz will step in as a replacement opponent, keeping a Polish presence in the matchup.
In a move that has already stirred the middleweight division, Khamzat Chimaev has signed a contract with the RAF wrestling league. The 32-year-old "Borz" holds a 15-1 record and sits as the number-one ranked middleweight, also appearing at number 10 in the pound-for-pound standings. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center, Chimaev is one of the most complete fighters in the sport, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 4.04 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy.
Bo Nickal wasted no time responding to the signing, publicly calling out Chimaev. The 30-year-old American southpaw holds a 9-1 record and trains out of American Top Team Happy Valley. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, Nickal is a high-volume finisher who averages 3.1 takedowns and 2.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making any potential clash with Chimaev a compelling all-wrestling collision.
Why it matters
- Burns's retirement reshapes the welterweight rankings and removes a veteran gatekeeper from the division
- Chimaev's RAF signing raises questions about his UFC commitments at middleweight
- Nickal's callout of the number-one ranked Chimaev could set up a massive divisional title eliminator
