Gilbert Burns is a fighter’s fighter – supremely skilled and more than comfortable in a dog fight.
His highlight reel is devastating and shows off his thudding power, as well as his bread-and-butter that is jiu jitsu.
Before Leon Edwards dethroned Kamaru Usman, one could argue Burns came closest to unseating “The Nigerian Nightmare” when he rocked him in the opening round of their title bout. Now, after winning two of his last three and competing in 2022’s “Fight of the Year,” Burns (21-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) is hoping a win over Miami’s favorite son, Jorge Masvidal (35-16 MMA, 12-9 UFC), gets him a massive step closer to a second title shot.
With that in mind, check out these fights that chronicle the journey of “Durinho.”
1. Gilbert Burns vs. Alex Oliveira
When Alex Oliveira stepped in on short-notice to replace Josh Thomson, Burns struggled with the length and dynamic puzzle “Cowboy” presented. However, never one to succumb to discouragement, Burns rallied for some (literally) last-minute heroics.
2. Gilbert Burns vs. Damien Maia
After tallying two wins in a row upon returning to the welterweight division, Burns faced Brazilian legend Demian Maia in a hyper-intriguing matchup between old guard and new school. While the two had very little between them on paper when it came to grappling credentials, Burns put that to bed with one earth-shattering hook.
3. Gilbert Burns vs. Tyron Woodley
At the time of Burns’ main event bout against Tyron Woodley, the former champion had only just lost his belt to Usman, so the stakes behind this one were as high as can be. Burns promptly stepped up to the challenge, dropping Woodley early and turning in one of his most dominant performances to date.
4. Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Burns had no reason to take this fight other than the fact that he is a savage who welcomes all comers with glee. The ultra-hyped Khamzat Chimaev hadn’t faced anyone close to Burns’ level to this point, so everyone who called themselves a fight fan was on the edge of their seat when they faced off at UFC 273. The back-and-forth war was widely considered 2022’s Fight of the Year, and although Burns didn’t earn the judges’ nod, his stock didn’t drop one bit.
5. Gilbert Burns vs. Neil Magny
Despite the fact that few thought less of Burns after his loss to Chimaev, the reality was he had lost two of his last three bouts when he faced Neil Magny at UFC 283. Back in Brazil for the first time since knocking Maia out, Burns turned in another statement performance against the wily veteran.
This story first published at UFC.com.
