Gilbert Burns has officially retired from competition following the recent UFC event. Mike Malott is expected to enter the top 15 welterweight rankings after his latest victory, though the analyst expressed skepticism about his potential against the division's elite. The post suggests Malott will struggle to defeat top-tier next-generation welterweights. Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber 13-1 in RAF wrestling and called out Colby Covington, promising a 10-0 victory and stating he would "beat his ass." Hamzat Chimaev has also signed a contract with RAF, immediately drawing a challenge from Bo Nickal.
Gilbert Burns has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts competition, drawing the curtain on a decorated welterweight career. Meanwhile, Mike Malott is set to crack the top 15 at 170 pounds following his latest win, and a pair of notable signings in RAF wrestling are reshaping that organization's landscape.
Burns, nicknamed "Durinho," exits the sport at 39 years old with a professional record of 22-10-0. The Brazilian veteran, most recently ranked 13th at welterweight and training out of Kill Cliff FC, was one of the more well-rounded fighters in the division throughout his UFC tenure. He averaged 3.15 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also threatening consistently on the mat, landing 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes and posting 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes over his career.
Malott's ranking promotion comes with an asterisk, however. An analyst reviewing the move expressed skepticism about how far he can climb, suggesting he will find the division's next generation of elite welterweights a significant step up in competition.
In RAF wrestling news, Arman Tsarukyan reportedly defeated a 47-year-old Urijah Faber by a commanding 13-1 margin and used the occasion to call out Colby Covington, vowing a 10-0 performance. Faber, known as "The California Kid," carries a 35-11-0 record across his career and remains a recognizable name in combat sports even at his age.
Hamzat Chimaev has also signed with RAF, a move that immediately prompted Bo Nickal to issue a public challenge. Nickal, 30, fights out of American Top Team Happy Valley and owns a 9-1-0 record. The southpaw stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and brings elite grappling credentials of his own, averaging 3.1 takedowns and 2.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 61 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Burns's retirement opens a ranking slot and removes a seasoned gatekeeper from the welterweight division
- Malott's top-15 entry sets up near-term matchmaking tests against more established contenders
- A potential Chimaev vs. Nickal clash in RAF would pit two of combat sports' most hyped grapplers against each other
