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Mike Malott crushed Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg to win his fourth straight — so why is he accused of ‘fumbling the bag?’
TL;DR
Mike Malott defeated Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg, marking his fourth consecutive win and earning a $100k performance bonus. Despite this success, he faces criticism for allegedly 'fumbling the bag.'
Key points
- Mike Malott won against Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg
- This victory is Malott's fourth consecutive win
- Malott earned a $100k post-fight performance bonus
Mike MalottGilbert BurnsUFC Winnipeg
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - OCTOBER 17: Mike Malott poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night ceremonial weigh-ins at Rogers Arena on October 17, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Fast-rising welterweight bruiser Mike Malott did everything right last weekend at UFC Winnipeg.
Well, almost everything.
Malott crushed former 170-pound title challenger Gilbert Burns in the UFC Winnipeg main event in Manitoba, winning his fourth straight and capturing a $100k post-fight performance bonus.
So why is he accused of fumbling the bag?
“He fumbled the bag,” retired UFC fighter and current UFC analyst, Din Thomas, said on Deep Waters (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “He fumbled the bag in inserting himself in the conversation of becoming a big star. He had a great performance, but you’ve got to do better than that.”
Q&A
What did Mike Malott achieve at UFC Winnipeg?
Mike Malott won his fourth straight fight by defeating Gilbert Burns and received a $100k performance bonus.
Why is Mike Malott accused of 'fumbling the bag'?
Despite his victory and bonus, Mike Malott is criticized for not capitalizing on his success in a way that some fans expected.
Who did Mike Malott defeat at UFC Winnipeg?
Mike Malott defeated former title challenger Gilbert Burns in the main event at UFC Winnipeg.