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Gilbert Burns of Brazil reacts after the conclusion of his battle against Khamzat Chimaev in their welterweight fight during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 09, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
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Five Gilbert Burns Fights To Watch Before UFC 288

Check Out "Durinho" Before He Makes The Walk Versus Belal Muhammad In Newark, New Jersey.

Gilbert Burns is a fighter’s fighter - supremely skilled and more than comfortable in a dog fight.

His highlight reel is devastating and shows off his thudding power, as well as his bread-and-butter that is jiu jitsu.

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Before Leon Edwards dethroned Kamaru Usman, one could argue Burns came closest to unseating “The Nigerian Nightmare” when he rocked him in the opening round of their title bout. After beating Neil Magny in January and Jorge Masvidal in April, Burns is back for his third fight in five months as he is set for a 5-round co-main event against the streaking Belal Muhammad with huge title implications at hand.

With that in mind, check out these fights that chronicle the journey of “Durinho.”

Gilbert Burns vs Alex Oliveira (UFC Fight Night: Maia vs LaFlare)

Alex Oliveira of Brazil and Gilbert Burns of Brazil in their lightweight bout during the UFC Fight Night at Maracanazinho Gymnasium on March 21, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)

Alex Oliveira of Brazil and Gilbert Burns of Brazil in their lightweight bout during the UFC Fight Night at Maracanazinho Gymnasium on March 21, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)


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When Alex Oliveira stepped in on short-notice to replace Josh Thompson, Burns struggled with the length and dynamic puzzle “Cowboy” presented. However, never one to succumb to discouragement, Burns rallied for some (literally) last-minute heroics.

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Gilbert Burns vs Damien Maia (UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs Lee)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil celebrates after his TKO victory over Demian Maia of Brazil in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event on March 14, 2020 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil celebrates after his TKO victory over Demian Maia of Brazil in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event on March 14, 2020 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)


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After tallying two wins in a row upon returning to the welterweight division, Burns faced Brazilian legend Demian Maia in a hyper-intriguing matchup between old guard and new school. While the two had very little between them on paper when it came to grappling credentials, Burns put that to bed with one earth-shattering hook.

GREATEST HITS: Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns vs Tyron Woodley (UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs Burns)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil punches Tyron Woodley in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on May 30, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil punches Tyron Woodley in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on May 30, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)


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At the time of Burns’ main event bout against Tyron Woodley, the former champion had only just lost his belt to Kamaru Usman, so the stakes behind this one were as high as can be. Burns promptly stepped up to the challenge, dropping Woodley early and turning in one of his most dominant performances to date.

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Gilbert Burns vs Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 273: Volkanovski vs The Korean Zombie)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil punches Khamzat Chimaev of Russia in their welterweight fight during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 09, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil punches Khamzat Chimaev of Russia in their welterweight fight during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 09, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)


(Watch On UFC Fight Pass)

Burns had no reason to take this fight other than the fact that he is a savage who welcomes all comers with glee. The ultra-hyped Khamzat Chimaev hadn’t faced anyone close to Burns’ level to this point, so everyone who called themselves a fight fan was on the edge of their seat when they faced off at UFC 273. The back-and-forth war was widely considered 2022’s Fight of the Year, and although Burns didn’t earn the judges’ nod, his stock didn’t drop one bit.

View Burns' Athlete Profile | Check Out The Welterweight Rankings

Gilbert Burns vs Neil Magny (UFC 283: Teixeira vs Hill)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil reacts after his submission victory over Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC 283 event at Jeunesse Arena on January 21, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)

Gilbert Burns of Brazil reacts after his submission victory over Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC 283 event at Jeunesse Arena on January 21, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)


(Watch On UFC Fight Pass)

Despite the fact that few thought less of Burns after his loss to Chimaev, the reality was he had lost two of his last three bouts when he faced Neil Magny at UFC 283. Back in Brazil for the first time since knocking Maia out, Burns turned in another statement performance against the wily veteran.

Order UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo

UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo took place live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 6, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass