In a news roundup from recent events, Gilbert Burns has officially retired from MMA competition. Arman Tsarukyan dominated Urijah Faber with a 13-1 victory in RAF wrestling, throwing him out of the mat area and delivering an impressive throw during the match. After the bout, Tsarukyan called out Colby Covington, promising to win 10-0 and stating he gave one point to Urijah out of respect for his age, but will show no such mercy to Covington. The post also mentions Khamzat Chimaev has signed with RAF, to which Bo Nickal immediately responded with a challenge. Additional notes covered Mike Malott entering the top 15 and several recommended fights from recent UFC events.
Gilbert Burns has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, closing out a career that saw the Brazilian welterweight become one of the division's most dangerous competitors over more than a decade.
Burns, 39, finishes with a professional record of 22-10. Fighting out of Kill Cliff FC, the orthodox welterweight stood five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and was ranked 13th in the division at the time of his retirement. Over his career he averaged 3.15 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy, while also threatening regularly on the ground with 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes.
In other news, Arman Tsarukyan put on a dominant performance against Urijah Faber in a RAF wrestling match, winning by a commanding 13-1 scoreline. Tsarukyan threw Faber out of the mat area and landed an impressive throw during the bout. He did acknowledge the veteran's legacy after the match, stating he awarded Faber one point as a gesture of respect for his age. Tsarukyan then called out Colby Covington directly, promising a 10-0 shutout and making clear he would extend no such courtesy to the former interim UFC champion.
Also making waves in the RAF landscape, Khamzat Chimaev has signed with the organization. The news drew an immediate response from Bo Nickal, who called out the Middleweight contender without hesitation. Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1 record and holds the number-one ranking in the middleweight division, with a pound-for-pound ranking of tenth. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center, the UAE-based wrestler averages a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 4.04 significant strikes per minute. Nickal, 30, represents American Top Team Happy Valley and owns a 9-1 record, averaging 3.1 takedowns and 2.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes at 61 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Burns's retirement reshapes the welterweight rankings and removes a credible top-15 threat from the division
- Tsarukyan's callout of Covington signals his ambitions extend beyond the octagon into combat sports crossover events
- Chimaev's RAF signing and Nickal's immediate challenge sets up a potential high-profile grappling matchup between two elite wrestlers
