UFC BJJ Makes Huge Signing By Adding Former UFC Title Contender & Grappling Ace

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Gilbert Burns won’t be staying away from competition for long after retiring from MMA in April.

Less than a month after retiring from MMA, Burns has signed with UFC BJJ. Multiple people familiar with the situation have confirmed the deal to MMA Fighting. UFC BJJ has yet to officially announce the signing or a debut date, but the current plan is for Burns to have his first match in the coming months.

Burns announced his retirement from MMA following a main event loss to Mike Malott at UFC Winnipeg in April, a fight that marked his final appearance in the octagon after a career that spanned 2014 to 2026 under the UFC banner. At the time, he outlined plans that included returning to jiu-jitsu competition, working as an MMA manager, and running his own gym in the United States.

Gilbert Burns goes home to BJJ

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Burns, who turns 40 in July, compiled a record of 15-10 in the UFC with key victories over Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, and Jorge Masvidal during his MMA career. He also competed in grappling events during his UFC stint, picking up wins over Rafael Lovato Jr., Jake Shields, AJ Agazarm, and Gleison Tibau.

His return to jiu-jitsu is a homecoming of sorts. Before transitioning to MMA in 2012, Burns was an accomplished competitor in the discipline, winning gold at the IBJJF World Championship in 2011 and capturing the 2010 IBJJF no-gi world title. His resume from that era includes significant wins over Kron Gracie, Leandro Lo, and Celso Venicius.

UFC BJJ’s next scheduled event takes place May 21 at the Meta APEX, headlined by two title matches featuring Mikey Musumeci vs. Kevin Dantzler and Cassia Moura vs. Bia Basilio. Burns’ debut is expected to follow in the months after that event. As of this writing, an opponent for him in the promotion has yet to be revealed.