Gilbert Burns made a winning UFC BJJ debut, finishing his opponent with a rear-naked choke in the first round. The submission victory marks Burns' entry into UFC's grappling competition format.
Gilbert Burns extended his competitive career into a new format on June 5, 2026, submitting his opponent via rear-naked choke in the first round to earn a winning debut in UFC's grappling competition series.
Burns, known by his nickname "Durinho," brings a résumé that makes him a natural fit for the grappling format. The 39-year-old Brazilian trains out of Kill Cliff FC and currently holds a 22-10-0 professional MMA record, sitting ranked 13th in the welterweight division. Standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, Burns has always leaned on a well-rounded submission game throughout his career, averaging 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes in MMA competition. His orthodox stance and disciplined ground control have long been calling cards inside the Octagon.
Why it matters
- Burns' first-round rear-naked choke signals that his Brazilian jiu-jitsu fundamentals translate cleanly to the pure grappling format, where striking is removed from the equation entirely.
- A successful debut raises his profile within UFC's expanding grappling competition platform, which continues to attract established MMA names.
- At 39, Burns demonstrates that elite-level submission skills remain sharp, potentially opening a secondary competitive avenue alongside his ranked welterweight career.
The finish via rear-naked choke is among the most fundamental yet demanding submissions in grappling, requiring precise back-control positioning and timing — hallmarks of Burns' BJJ background that predates his MMA career. His debut win adds a new chapter to a competitive journey that has included significant welterweight bouts at the highest level of the sport.
