Gilbert Burns didn't hide the impact of Michael Morales ' strikes after their fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). In a candid account, the veteran recalled his duel against the prospect at UFC Fight Night 256, held in May 2025 in Las Vegas (USA), highlighting the difficulties he faced inside the octagon.
In an interview with the MMA Junkie website, Durinho, who lost that fight via technical knockout (punches) in the first round, said that Morales hits very hard. The Brazilian highlighted the difficulty of remaining balanced and reacting in the fight.
"That guy ( Michael Morales ) has a lot of power. He hits really hard, like: 'My God'. I tried to keep my balance, but I was totally off balance. I couldn't do much. He came at me and I could only defend myself."
"After the fight, I started to feel better, but when I watched it again, I thought, 'Man, this guy hits really hard.' I ended up with a huge bruise, like Joanna Jedrzejczyk 's ," Durinho said in the interview.
Gilbert Burns says Michael Morales ' power is different after sharing the octagon with him.
"I got a freaking (bruise) like Joanna (Jedrzejczyk). At one moment I thought, 'Man, this sport is not for me anymore. I'm a freaking quitter. I'm done.'"
(via @MikeBohn ) pic.twitter.com/fv2iKgrKGQ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) March 20, 2026
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Gilbert Burns' MMA stats
Gilbert Burns has a record of 22 wins and nine losses in his professional MMA career. The former UFC welterweight (up to 77 kg) title challenger has been in the UFC since July 2014, when he debuted with a unanimous decision victory over Andreas Ståhl.
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Read More about: Gilbert Durinho, MichaelMorales, UFC
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