The Ultimate Fighting Championship held an event in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday, known as UFC Winnipeg. The main attraction featured a clash between welterweight competitors, with Mike Malott squaring off against Gilbert Burns.
Malott made his debut as a UFC headliner, building on a recent victory over Kevin Holland. Burns, conversely, was on a four-fight losing streak. Ultimately, Malott secured a third-round TKO triumph over Burns, marking the most significant win of his professional career. Following the conclusion of UFC Winnipeg, here are my thoughts on potential future opponents for the welterweight contenders.
Mike Malott
Mike Malott entered UFC Winnipeg with aspirations of solidifying his position as a legitimate title contender in the welterweight division. The Canadian fighter was enjoying a three-bout winning streak, but facing Burns was poised to be the toughest challenge of his career. Nevertheless, Malott found considerable success with his striking and, in the third round, severely damaged the Brazilian fighter, leading to a TKO victory.
This victory could propel Malott into the top-10 of the welterweight rankings. The Canadian possesses strong potential for the UFC to cultivate, given the extensive support he garners from his home country, suggesting he should be granted a high-profile fight next. A logical subsequent matchup would be against Leon Edwards. This represents a significant escalation in competition against a former champion, and a win for Malott would unequivocally establish him as a credible title challenger.
Gilbert Burns
Gilbert Burns experienced his fifth consecutive defeat on Saturday at UFC Winnipeg, suffering a TKO loss to Mike Malott. Subsequent to this defeat, Burns announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.
With Burns’s retirement, the need to speculate on his next fight is eliminated. Instead, this section will commemorate his commendable UFC career. Burns initially competed as a fringe contender at lightweight, but it was in the welterweight division that he truly achieved prominence and became a top contender. He made the transition to welterweight on short notice in 2019 and embarked on a four-fight winning streak, which included victories over notable opponents like Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, and Gunnar Nelson. This impressive run earned him a shot at the title, where he managed to hurt Kamaru Usman before ultimately being knocked out.
In the end, Burns concluded his MMA journey with a professional record of 22-10 and was celebrated by fans as a fighter always willing to step up and face any opponent.
