Good Sign! Durinho Clings to Friends' Victories to Turn Things Around in the UFC; Understand Why

Durinho promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube/UFC

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Gilbert Durinho has a tough mission ahead of him in the world's largest MMA organization. This Saturday (18), in Canada, the Brazilian will headline UFC Winnipeg against Mike Malott , a home athlete, who is extremely important to his career. In addition to dealing with an opponent in hostile territory, the veteran will do so pressured by four consecutive defeats. Even so, the former challenger for the welterweight belt (up to 77,1 kg) is not shaken and has a curious statistic in his favor.

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At 39 years old, Durinho clings to the positive track record of his friends Renato Moicano and Vicente Luque , who turned their careers around in April, to do the same. Therefore, even with the consecutive defeats to Belal Muhammad , Jack Della Maddalena , Sean Brady , and Michael Morales , the Brazilian assures that he is capable of rising again and proving his worth.

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Moicano began the current season with two losses in 2025 and was questioned by fans and MMA professionals. As the Brazilian began to prioritize content creation and the growth of his YouTube channel, many declared that another defeat could end his career. However, the 36-year-old veteran ignored the pressure and surprised everyone by punishing and submitting Chris Duncan , a standout in the lightweight division (up to 70,3 kg) who was on a four-fight winning streak, in the second round, ending his losing streak in the best possible way.

Mohawk at the UFC press conference. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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Luque, 34, also answered doubts about his future in MMA in an impressive way. In 2022, the Brazilian suffered a brain hemorrhage after being knocked out by Geoff Neal , and since then, he has never been the same and almost stopped fighting. In 2025, the athlete was defeated twice and harshly criticized for his performance, as he was bureaucratic and passive in the octagon. However, in 2026, the veteran decided to switch from welterweight to middleweight (up to 83,9 kg) and silenced his critics by submitting Kelvin Gastelum in the first round.

Vicente Luque celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube/UFC

Another point that gives Durinho more confidence in winning is the difference in quality between the opponents he has faced compared to his current one. Belal and Della Maddalena are former welterweight champions, Morales is close to competing for the title, and Brady dreams of reaching the top. On the other hand, Malott, despite being considered the best Canadian fighter in MMA today, remains outside the top 15 and has yet to convince in the UFC. Therefore, the impression is that the Brazilian may have found the perfect opponent to get out of his slump.

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