Gilbert Burns didn’t go into the UFC Winnipeg main event with retirement on his mind.
Following a four-fight losing streak, and nearly a year away from fighting, the veteran welterweight contender put everything into his training camp with hopes that he could get back on track and beat budding contender Mike Malott. Unfortunately, things didn’t go Burns’ as he suffered a third-round knockout loss. Afterwards, he laid his gloves down and announced he was calling it a career.
While Burns acknowledged
before the fight that retirement could happen at any time for him, he promises that he went into his main event against Malott with nothing but winning on his mind. When that didn’t happen, Burns knew it was time to walk away.
“I was crazy confident I was going to get the win,” Burns said on the UFC Winnipeg post-fight show. “I was 1,000 percent confident that I was going to win. I knew if something goes wrong, I don’t want to do this no more. Not because of anyone. Because I’m not showing my 100 percent. Maybe the age or whatever but I feel a little stuck. The fire is still there but I’m still a little stuck. I cannot let go.
“If I cannot win, if I cannot show everything that I have, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to get just a paycheck. I try and I gave everything and if I cannot do it, then I cannot do it. It’s fine. We move on. I’ve still got a lot of challenges that I want to go through.”
Burns was a stalwart in the welterweight rankings for a huge part of his UFC career, which included a title fight against friend and teammate Kamaru Usman in 2021. He also went to war against Khamzat Chimaev in one of the most memorable fights in recent history.
That willingness to face anyone at any time defined Burns’ career, especially knowing he could have sat on his ranking and turned down fights offered to him by the UFC. Instead, Burns never backed down from any challenge and he’s proud that he always went out on his shield.
“I gave everything to this sport,” Burns said. “I remember I started jiu-jitsu at 12 and then got my black belt in 2007, became a world champion in 2010 and 2011 and then transitioned to MMA and put my life to the sport. In jiu-jitsu and MMA, I’ve been fighting at the highest level.
“Another thing, too, I think I could have pick and choose opponents. I [could have] said no, hold my position, I’m No. 2 — I’m not fighting freaking Khamzat [Chimaev], I’m not fighting ‘Wonderboy’ [Stephen Thompson], I’m not fighting these guys that was ranked way [behind] me. If I want to be the best, I’ve got to be the best. I’ve got to beat everybody. I tried. I gave my life to this sport. The sport gave a lot back to me.”
While his UFC run didn’t end the way he wanted, Burns promises he has no regrets because the sport provided him and his family everything they needed. Above anything else, Burns appreciates that he was able to make a career out of his time spent in the UFC and he can’t be filled with regret based solely on a few losses.
“I was able to make a living, make a career,” Burns said. “Make a living off the UFC. Off those MMA fights, off those battles. I was able to make money, to own my house. I was able to do a lot of things with money like financially, I’m stable. I was able to invest money. I take care of my beautiful kids and my wife. So I’m very happy.
“We always want to become the champion, the No. 1 [fighter]. I tried as hard [as I could]. I tried so much. I gave my life to that. I bleed. I sweat. I’m content with my career.”
Burns retires with a 22-10 record overall and now that the fighting is done, he knows what he wants to focus on next. The Brazilian revealed he plans on getting involved in MMA management and is also working on opening his own school in south Florida where he resides.
He looks to pass along the same lessons he’s learned throughout his entire career to his students — including what just happened at UFC Winnipeg on Saturday.
“For sure it’s not the result that I want,” Burns said. “We always want to win. But I love the lessons. I’m always learning, trying to be a better man.”
