LIVE
Share on Facebook
For many fighters, retirement is a decision that takes months—or even years—to make. But for Gilbert Burns, the choice came instantly.
Burns (22-10 MMA, 15-10 UFC), a former UFC title challenger, announced his retirement on Saturday night after suffering a TKO loss to Mike Malott in the main event of UFC Fight Night 273 in Winnipeg, Canada. Despite the significance of ending a decade-long UFC career, Burns admitted the decision was made in the moment.
The Brazilian entered UFC Winnipeg fully expecting to win and had no plans of retiring beforehand.
"No, I was crazy confident that I was going to get the win," Burns told Paramount+ when asked if he planned to retire. "I was 1,000 percent confident that I was going to win. I knew if something went wrong, I didn't want to do this anymore, not because of anyone, but because I'm not showing my 100 percent. Maybe it's the age or whatever, but I don't feel (good). I feel a little stuck. I feel a little stuck. I cannot let go, and I'm like, 'You know what? If I can't win, if I can't show everything I've got, I don't want to do this just for a paycheck.' I tried to leave everything, and if I cannot do it, it's fine; we move on."
With the defeat, Burns extended his losing streak to five fights. His most recent win came in 2023, when he earned a unanimous decision victory over Jorge Masvidal.
Although his recent form dipped, Burns still reached the highest level of the sport. In 2021, he challenged for the UFC welterweight title after a six-fight winning streak established him as one of the top 170-pound fighters in the world. He ultimately came up short against then-champion Kamaru Usman.
Burns closes his career with notable victories over fighters such as Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Stephen Thompson, and several other top names.
Looking ahead, Burns said he wants to focus on coaching and fighter management.
"I still have a lot of challenges that I have to go through," Burns said. "I want to become an MMA manager, I think. I think I can do a great job. I know how to make a career. I want to help these guys in jiu-jitsu. I never want to open a gym, but I have a very close friend of mine, Vagner Rocha, who's changing a lot of kids' lives, and that's what I want to do. It's not teaching kids martial arts, but it's changing those guys' future. I'm going to open up a gym soon in South Florida. I'm going to become an MMA manager. I'm going to take care of my family and my kids, my wife."
