Gilbert Burns has called time on his MMA career, announcing his retirement immediately after a TKO loss to Mike Malott at UFC Fight Night 273 in Winnipeg, Canada.
Burns entered the bout with a 22-10 professional record, including 15-10 in the UFC, and had not planned to retire before the event. The defeat extended his current skid to 0-5, with his last victory coming by unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal in 2023.
"No, I was crazy confident that I was going to get the win," Burns said, later adding, "I was 1,000 percent confident that I was going to win. I knew if something went wrong, I didn't want to do this anymore, not because of anyone, but because I'm not showing my 100 percent. Maybe it's the age or whatever, but I don't feel (good). I feel a little stuck. I feel a little stuck. I cannot let go, and I'm like, 'You know what? If I can't win, if I can't show everything I've got, I don't want to do this just for a paycheck.' I tried to leave everything, and if I cannot do it, it's fine; we move on."
A former UFC welterweight title challenger, Burns fought for the belt in 2021 after a 6-0 run but fell short against then-champion Kamaru Usman. He owns wins over Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, and Stephen Thompson.
Looking ahead, Burns said, "I still have a lot of challenges that I have to go through," outlining plans to focus on teaching, opening a gym in South Florida, and moving into fighter representation: "I want to become an MMA manager, I think. I think I can do a great job. I know how to make a career."
