Gilbert Burns has officially ended his MMA career following a recent UFC event. Mike Malott is set to enter the top-15 rankings at welterweight, though the analyst expressed skepticism about Malott's potential against top-tier competition in the new generation. The post also noted that the Guskov vs Blachowicz fight was canceled but replaced with Ibo Baraniewsky as the substitute Polish opponent. Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber 13-1 in a wrestling match at RAF, throwing him into the crowd as promised, and afterward called out Colby Covington. Tsarukyan promised to win 10-0 against Covington and stated he would make people forget about Covington not just as a fighter but as a wrestler.
Gilbert Burns has officially retired from mixed martial arts, closing the book on a decorated career at welterweight, while several other storylines emerged from a recent UFC event and surrounding media activity.
Burns, known as "Durinho," ends his career with a record of 22-10. The 39-year-old Brazilian, who competed out of Kill Cliff FC, spent years as one of the division's most dangerous competitors. Standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, Burns averaged 3.15 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and added consistent wrestling pressure at 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat throughout his run at 170 pounds.
Mike Malott is set to enter the welterweight top-15 rankings following his recent performance, though at least one analyst has voiced skepticism about how Malott might fare against the new generation of elite competition in the division.
The light heavyweight card saw a scheduling change, as the planned bout between Guskov and Jan Blachowicz was canceled. Ibo Baraniewsky has stepped in as a substitute Polish opponent to fill that slot.
Why it matters
- Burns's retirement removes a former top-five welterweight from the divisional picture, reshaping the rankings landscape below the championship level.
- Malott's entry into the top-15 adds a new contender to a welterweight division already in flux.
- Arman Tsarukyan's callout of Colby Covington sets up a potentially significant matchup, with Tsarukyan claiming a 10-0 wrestling dominance forecast and vowing to overshadow Covington both as a fighter and as a wrestler.
Covington, 38, carries a professional record of 17-5 and built his reputation heavily on wrestling, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his UFC career. Tsarukyan's confidence appears directly aimed at that identity. The challenge was issued after Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber 13-1 in a wrestling match at a RAF event, reportedly throwing the 47-year-old veteran into the crowd as he had previously promised.
