Durinho is a former UFC title challenger. Photo: Reproduction/X
Gilbert Burns opened up about a difficult fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The Brazilian, who is scheduled to fight Mike Malott at UFC Fight Night 273 on April 18th in Canada, recalled in an interview the moment when he considered ending his professional career.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Durinho said that his last fight against Michael Morales was so impactful that he didn't rule out retirement. The duel, which headlined UFC Fight Night 256 in May 2025 in Las Vegas (USA), ended with a technical knockout (punches) victory for the prospect in the first round. After the fight, the Brazilian, with a huge bruise, even thought he shouldn't continue in the sport. However, after reflection, he changed his mind and continued dedicating himself to training and recovery.
"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, kind of like Joanna Jedrzejczyk 's.
At one point, I thought, 'This sport isn't for me anymore. I'm a quitter. It's over.' But then I rewatched the fight and realized, 'Okay, this guy hits really hard.' I think he'll move up to middleweight soon,” Durinho said in the interview.
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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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