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Gilbert Burns announced his retirement after a knockout loss to Mike Malott at UFC Winnipeg. This defeat marked his fifth consecutive loss, prompting Burns to reconsider his future in the sport.
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WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - APRIL 17: Gilbert Burns of Brazil poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night ceremonial weigh-in at Canada Life Centre on April 17, 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Gilbert Burns didnât walk into UFC Winnipeg with retirement on his mind, but after suffering a third-round knockout loss to Mike Malott in the main event, he realized it was time to walk away.
The veteran welterweight and one-time title challenger retired from the sport after his loss and while he was understandably emotional after making the announcement, the decision itself wasnât rooted in an overreaction to a tough defeat. The fight marked Burnsâ fifth consecutive loss but even that didnât necessarily determine that he was done.
Instead, Burns explains it came down to the level of his competition and not wanting to overstay his welcome.
âI kind of felt if I cannot beat Mike Malott, all due respect to him but I donât think heâs the highest level in the UFC, if I cannot beat him, I shouldnât be doing this,â Burns told MMA Fighting. âIâm done. Itâs nothing against him. Nothing about him. Itâs about me. I do believe in all of my abilities but if you get to a point where I cannot beat these guys then Iâm done. Then I donât want to do this no more. Because the way I got into the UFC was to become the champion, to be the best. To really make a mark. I was doing that. I was fighting tough competition and I was doing good. Going head to head with everybody, losing here, losing there, no problem but when you see the last couple of fights, Belal [Muhammad] became a champion, Jack [Della Maddalena] became a champion, Sean Brady is top 5, Michael Morales maybe fighting for a title if not a top contender and Mike Malott was the only unranked guy that I fought in the previous fights.
âI liked the guy. The guy was very gentle, super nice guy, him and his whole team. He gave me a voice, he was making the whole crowd go crazy for me but losing to him, I knew I had to close that chapter. I didnât come to this sport just to be another guy.â
While Malott has been tapped as the best prospect coming out of Canada, he hasnât faced a murdererâs row when it comes to his UFC rĂ©sumĂ©. Overall, the 34-year-old fighter holds a 7-1 record, but Burns was the first ranked opponent he faced with Malottâs one loss coming via TKO to longtime welterweight stalwart Neil Magny.
Gilbert Burns retired after his loss to Mike Malott because he felt it was time to walk away, recognizing the need to avoid overstaying his welcome in the sport.
Gilbert Burns had five consecutive losses before announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts.
Gilbert Burns indicated that his decision to retire was based on the level of competition he faced and his desire not to continue if he couldn't beat fighters like Mike Malott.
Gilbert Burns announced his retirement immediately following his fight against Mike Malott at UFC Winnipeg.
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Burns promises he has nothing but respect for Malott and his team but he used that fight as a gauge to figure out where he fit in the larger hierarchy at 170 pounds. Losing to an unranked opponent was the sign Burns needed to move on to the next stage of his life and put fighting behind him.
âThe Mike Malott fight for me was clear. Iâm not at that level no more,â Burns said. âThatâs freaking life. It is what it is. It hurts a little bit but youâve got to man up. Iâve got to make the best decision for me and for my family. I could do one more. Yes but why? I donât have to. So I want to move on and I want to get the next chapter of my career.â
Post-fight retirements arenât uncommon in the UFC, but Burns didnât have any grand elaborate plans to make that call heading into the fight.
Burns actually had a callout ready to go if he beat Malott and he mapped out what he expected to serve as the final three-fight plan that would lead to him calling it a career.
âI believed I was going to win,â Burns said. âI think Mike Malott is a great fighter but I do believe I was going to win and I have everything it takes to win. If I was winning, I was going to call out Colby [Covington] for International Fight Week. I had a whole plan.
âWith a win, if I go out there and I beat this guy and I do a big callout for International Fight Week, then it makes sense. Then I think the UFC would give the Colby fight to me. Then after the Colby fight, then maybe the last one I do a retirement fight in Brazil. That was my plan. If everything went my way, it would be Colby Covington on International Fight Week and then it would be Daniel Rodriguez or Kevin Holland or Leon Edwards, retirement fight in Brazil. Thatâs what was going through my mind. Thatâs why I said three more fights, that was the way I thinking. But in the back of my head I was thinking if I canât beat Mike Malott, if I lose, if I got finished, Iâm done.â
As tough as it was ending his career on a five-fight losing streak, Burns didnât want to keep going in hopes of chasing a win.
That mindset has doomed many veteran fighters and legends of the sport, which is something Burns didnât want for himself or his family. So he decided enough was enough and laid his gloves down in the center of the octagon and heâs resolved in his decision to retire from the sport.
âLike B.J. Penn, Iâm a huge fan, I was always a fan but I donât think he finished the way he should,â Burns said. âHe [lost] a couple fights and itâs like why does B.J. keep doing that? Vitor Belfort, the last couple of fights it wasnât the best fights. Why do you keep doing that? Even Anderson Silva, other great fighters, Iâm not calling you guys out, Iâm just saying you should be more careful the way you finish your career.
âI have a five [fight] losing streak already. Iâm done. At least I fought the best of the best. Iâm done. If I feel like I cannot beat this guy, Iâm done. I was at peace. It was still an emotional moment but it was the right decision.â