Gilbert Burns has announced his retirement from competition. At RAF, Arman Tsarukyan dominated Urijah Faber with a 13-1 victory, literally throwing Faber into the crowd during the match as he had promised at the press conference. Following the bout, Tsarukyan called out Colby Covington, vowing to achieve a 10-0 shutout and promising to make people forget about Covington as both a fighter and a wrestler. The post also notes that Khamzat Chimaev has signed with RAF, with Bo Nickal immediately challenging him. Mike Malott is expected to enter the top 15 welterweight rankings despite doubts about his potential against elite competition.
Gilbert Burns has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, closing the book on a decorated career, while a flurry of developments out of RAF has shifted attention across multiple divisions.
Burns, 39, finishes his career with a record of 22-10-0, competing at welterweight where he was ranked thirteenth. The Brazilian representative of Kill Cliff FC built a reputation as one of the division's most well-rounded threats, averaging 3.15 significant strikes per minute alongside 2.12 takedowns per fifteen minutes across his career.
At a recent RAF event, Arman Tsarukyan put in a dominant performance against Urijah Faber, walking away with a 13-1 decision victory. The bout lived up to pre-fight theatrics, with Tsarukyan reportedly throwing Faber into the crowd, a moment he had previewed at the pre-fight press conference. Following the win, Tsarukyan turned his attention to Colby Covington, calling him out and vowing to shut him out by a 10-0 margin while declaring he would erase Covington's reputation as both a fighter and a wrestler.
Elsewhere, Khamzat Chimaev has signed with RAF, a move that drew an immediate response from Bo Nickal, who publicly challenged the Borz to a fight. Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1-0 record and holds the number-one middleweight ranking along with a top-ten pound-for-pound position. He averages an imposing 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes and lands significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate. Nickal, 30, is 9-1-0 and brings his own elite grappling credentials, averaging 3.1 takedowns and 2.5 submission attempts per fifteen minutes with a striking accuracy of 61 percent.
Why it matters
- Burns retiring opens movement in an already crowded welterweight top fifteen, with Mike Malott reportedly positioned to enter the rankings
- Tsarukyan's callout of Covington sets up a potentially significant welterweight bout with clear stylistic intrigue
- Chimaev's arrival at RAF and Nickal's immediate challenge could produce one of the most anticipated matchups in the middleweight division
