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Former Title Challenger in Bind Following Devastating Setback

Originally posted on MMA Sucka | By Hank Strandberg | Last updated May 20, 2025 5:49 PM ET

Is this truly the end of the road for Gilbert Burns as a welterweight contender?

Gilbert Burns Suffered Brutal Knockout at UFC Vegas 106

In the midst of a three-fight losing streak, Gilbert Burns entered the UFC Apex last Saturday in an attempt to get himself back on the board in the quickly evolving 170-lb landscape. His opponent, the surging Ecuadorian powerhouse Michael Morales. In his fellow South American adversary, Morales represents a new wave of promising young names that have begun to, in recent times, defeat members of the division’s old guard.

While he may have been a significant underdog on the betting lines, pundits were not terribly quick to write off Gilbert Burns getting the job done. Throughout his 30-bout career, “Durinho” has faced some of the best fighters on the planet, and has also been a part of several five-round contests, including a recent 25-minute scrap last September versus Sean Brady.

Sadly, while his boxing and hand speed looked on point in the opening segments of the match, Gilbert Burns was ultimately knocked out by Morales in the very first round after being dropped by a stiff punch. He was then finished off by relentless ground-and-pound before the referee had to step in, bringing his skid up to four fights in a row.

Gilbert Burns Once Elite-Level Welterweight Contender

At this point in time, the prospects of a career comeback for Gilbert Burns is all but a foregone conclusion, having not seen the win column since 2023. Over the course of his unfortunate run as of late, he also has been stopped twice by strikes, with the other instance coming from a late third-round elbow barrage from current 170-lb apex Jack Della Maddalena.

Not very long ago, though, Burns was considered a thriving force in the welterweight category. Upon making his debut in the weight class in the UFC, the Brazilian embarked on an absolute warpath, winning his first four bouts in a row before challenging former teammate Kamaru Usman for the championship. Rocking the Nigeria native early, it appeared that Burns was but a mere punch away from holding promotional gold. It was not meant to be, however, as Usman would starch his challenger with a series of punching jabs to claim the stoppage victory in the third round.

From here, Burns’ time as a member of the welterweight upper echelon has been marred by inconsistent results. Following his setback to Usman, he seemed to be back on track toward challenging for the strap, going 3-1 in his next four fights with victories over Stephen Thompson, Neil Magny and Jorge Masvidal.

Gilbert Burns Suffers a Losing Streak

But then a unanimous decision defeat to divisional incumbent Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 completely reversed the course of his championship aspirations. With further losses to the aforementioned Della Maddalena, Brady, and Morales, and at 38-years of age, the days of Burns being a dominant threat at 170-lb are officially over.