Gilbert Burns has announced his retirement from MMA competition. Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber 13-1 in RAF wrestling action, throwing Faber out of bounds as promised during the pre-fight press conference. After the match, Tsarukyan called out Colby Covington, vowing to win 10-0 and stating he gave Faber one point out of respect for his age but will show no mercy to Covington. Khamzat Chimaev has signed a contract with RAF, to which Bo Nickal immediately responded with a challenge to the champion. Mike Malott is expected to enter the top 15 welterweight rankings, though the analyst expresses doubt about his potential against elite fighters in the division.
Gilbert Burns has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, closing the book on a career that saw the Brazilian welterweight become one of the division's most dangerous submission threats.
Burns, 39, ends his career with a record of 22-10-0. Fighting out of Kill Cliff FC and competing as a ranked welterweight — sitting at number 13 in the division — the orthodox striker was a consistent presence at the top of the 170-pound class for years. He averaged 3.15 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy, while also posing a persistent grappling threat with 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes.
In separate RAF wrestling news, Arman Tsarukyan delivered on a pre-fight promise by defeating Urijah Faber 13-1, throwing the veteran out of bounds during the match. Tsarukyan credited Faber's age for the single point he conceded, framing it as a gesture of respect. He then turned his attention to Colby Covington, vowing a 10-0 performance and promising no such courtesy to the former welterweight title contender.
Khamzat Chimaev has signed with RAF, a move that prompted an immediate response from Bo Nickal, who publicly challenged the Middleweight standout. Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1-0 record and holds the number-one middleweight ranking, also appearing at number 10 in the pound-for-pound standings. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center, the UAE-based fighter averages a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute at 60 percent accuracy. Nickal, 30, brings a 9-1-0 record and elite credentials of his own, averaging 3.1 takedowns and 2.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes with a 61 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Burns's retirement opens a slot in the welterweight rankings that could reshuffle the division's top 15
- Tsarukyan's callout of Covington sets up a potential high-profile RAF matchup
- Chimaev's arrival in RAF, combined with Nickal's immediate challenge, creates a marquee middleweight collision worth tracking
- Mike Malott is projected to enter the welterweight top 15, though questions remain about his ceiling against elite competition
