Gilbert Burns has officially retired from MMA competition. Mike Malott is expected to enter the top-15 welterweight rankings following his recent victory, though the analyst expressed skepticism about his potential against elite competition. The scheduled bout between Guskov and Jan Blachowicz has been cancelled, but a replacement opponent has been secured—Polish fighter Ibo Baraniewski. Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber 13-1 in RAF wrestling and immediately called out Colby Covington, promising a 10-0 victory and vowing to make people forget about Covington as a wrestler. Hamzat Chimaev has also signed a contract with the RAF wrestling league.
Gilbert Burns has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, closing the book on a welterweight career that saw him reach the upper echelons of the division. Several other notable developments have emerged across the combat sports landscape on the same day.
Burns, 39, finishes his career with a 22-10 record, representing Brazil and training out of Kill Cliff FC. The orthodox striker landed 3.15 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy throughout his career, while also contributing on the mat with 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes. He held the number 13 ranking in the welterweight division at the time of his retirement.
Canadian welterweight Mike Malott is projected to enter the top-15 rankings following a recent victory, though at least one analyst has voiced doubt about how he would fare against elite-level opposition.
The light heavyweight clash between Guskov and Jan Blachowicz has been scrapped, though a replacement has already been arranged. Polish fighter Ibo Baraniewski will now step in to face Guskov.
In a notable crossover moment, Arman Tsarukyan took on MMA legend Urijah Faber in a RAF wrestling competition, defeating the 47-year-old American by a 13-1 margin. Faber, a veteran with a 35-11 professional record, has long been respected for his grappling credentials. After the lopsided result, Tsarukyan called out Colby Covington, claiming he would defeat him 10-0 and make people stop associating Covington with wrestling.
Khamzat Chimaev, the number one-ranked middleweight and number ten pound-for-pound fighter carrying a 15-1 record, has also signed a contract with the RAF wrestling league. The 32-year-old Allstars Training Center product averages an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition, making him a natural fit for the format.
Why it matters
- Burns retirement opens movement in a welterweight division where Malott could now climb
- Blachowicz's replacement bout keeps his competitive timeline intact with Baraniewski stepping in
- Chimaev and Tsarukyan's RAF involvement signals growing MMA crossover interest in the wrestling league
