Mike Malott is set to compete against Gilbert Burns, a past challenger for the UFC welterweight championship, in an event slated for Manitoba. A former sparring partner of Malott has offered his perspective on this significant 170-pound encounter.
In a discussion prior to a recent bout he was part of under the Real American Freestyle promotion, Clay Guida reflected on various aspects of his extensive professional journey. For ‘The Carpenter,’ this included a period training with Team Alpha Male and previous occasions where he championed his colleague, Mike Malott.
When questioned about his thoughts regarding the Mike Malott versus Gilbert Burns contest, which is positioned as the main attraction for UFC Winnipeg on April 18th, Guida remarked [as reported by Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Indeed, that promises to be an excellent bout. Mikey, known as ‘Proper’ Mike Malott, is truly one of my favorites. I’m unsure if many are familiar with his background. He currently competes at 170 pounds, but he spent time fighting at 155, and even briefly at 145. He’s physically enormous. When I first encountered him at the Team Alpha Male gym, I asked Urijah [Faber], ‘Is this fellow one of your sole 185-pounders, your only middleweight?’ Urijah responded, ‘Guida, that man fights at lightweight.’”
“My reaction was, ‘Oh, my.’ I then thought, ‘I might need to drop to 135 [chuckles].’ He simply overwhelms opponents during training. He’s incredibly refined in his technique. He’s an exceptional coach and a superb training partner. He conducts classes while he’s there, dissecting every detail with remarkable clarity. He’s articulate, a strong leader. It’s wonderful to witness his journey because, before joining the UFC, there was a point where he nearly retired from mixed martial arts due to various injuries he sustained.”
“He found it challenging to consistently make the 155-pound limit. I advised him, and I’m confident others did too, to stop the constant weight cutting. I told him to explore 170, emphasizing his large frame. I encouraged him to gain and maintain strength, focusing more on his fighting abilities rather than the perpetual weight cut and the sport’s less enjoyable aspects. To pursue what genuinely motivates and pleases him, and to simply have fun with it. He secured one, possibly two, victories at CFFC in Philly, achieving a knockout, and then, I believe, he was in the UFC a couple of months later.”
“He then embarked on a winning streak, perhaps three to five fights long. He experienced one defeat and is now on another winning streak. What is his current UFC record? Is it five or six wins with one loss, or perhaps six wins with two losses, something like that?… He’s performed exceptionally well and has discovered renewed drive within the UFC. It’s gratifying to observe that. I’m pleased that he and Gilbert Burns, who is also a friend of mine, are slated to compete.”
According to Guida, Mike Malott’s fight at UFC Winnipeg is “a contest everyone ought to watch”
Furthermore, Mike Malott will be the inaugural Canadian fighter to headline a UFC event since June 2020, with Felicia Spencer’s championship bout at UFC 250 being the last such occurrence. Addressing this historically significant fact for combat sports in Canada, Guida commented [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yes, it’s quite remarkable, truly. It’s richly deserved by both these athletes. It’s also great to observe Gilbert Burns, another competitor who consistently engages with top-ranked opponents. In my estimation, he’s always right on the cusp. Gilbert is merely one or two victories away from re-entering the top five. He’s perpetually in contention for a title, always captivating, embodying the true fighter’s spirit, and he consistently gives his absolute all. Therefore, this is definitely a matchup that everybody should make an effort to see.”
