UFC Winnipeg Takeaways: Burns goes out on shield, mixed results for Canadians

In recent weeks, we’ve seen fighters like featherweight legend Cub Swanson and past TUF winner Michael Chiesa end their respective UFC careers with stoppage wins, absorbing little damage, before being sent off into retirement with a video montage honouring their career.

Gilbert Burns, like most professional mixed martial artists, wasn’t so fortunate.

The respected Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and one-time welterweight title challenger went out on his shield and swung until he couldn’t any longer, getting stopped via technical knockout by Canada’s Mike Malott.

Afterwards, with tears in his eyes knowing that losing a fifth consecutive fight three months before he turns 40 would spell the end of his UFC run, Burns took off his gloves and placed them in the centre of the Octagon before humbly acknowledging, “I think that’s it.”

“He’s a tough, durable guy. Great human being,” UFC president Dana White said following the Fight Night event in Winnipeg headlined by Burns and Malott. “Done some big things, was right there (in the title picture) and he’s had a great run. He’s had a good run here and we like him a lot.”

Burns began MMA as an international and Brazilian national jiu-jitsu champion and debuted in the UFC as an 8-0 pro in 2014. He started out as a lightweight before moving up to welterweight in 2019, where he began doing his best work.

A six-fight winning streak that included victories over Demian Maia and former champion Tyron Woodley earned him a title shot in 2021 against then-champ Kamaru Usman.

Burns fell short in his lone championship opportunity but was a perennial contender. He gave Khamzat Chimaev arguably his toughest test to date and exclusively fought top-level competition as an undersized UFC 170-pounder. Although his UFC record is 15-10 and he went out on a 3-8 slump, Burns will be remembered for his many minutes spent in the cage and for his character outside of it.

Shout-out to “Durinho” for a great career.

Here are some more observations from UFC Winnipeg:

Malott ready for rankings, stiffer competition 

For much of the past 20 years, there’s always been a Canadian fighter at or near the top of the welterweight division. First it was Carlos Newton, then began the Georges St-Pierre era that also featured Rory MacDonald. After a lull following the UFC departure of GSP and MacDonald, Mike Malott has emerged as the next top dog at 170 pounds in Canada.

Malott said he felt in control in the cage against Burns and it showed. Despite it being his first main event spotlight, the Burlington, Ont., native was calm and composed all week leading up to his fight, then precise and powerful when the bout began.

The 34-year-old rising star has more or less become the face of MMA in Canada and the home crowd was fully behind him in Manitoba.

“Fans were awesome. The buzz and energy in (Canada Life Centre) was great and (the main event result) brings Mike close to the top 10, so big night for him,” White said.

Burns was the No. 11-ranked contender entering the weekend and Malott will have a number next to his name next week. Below Burns are Michael “Venom” Page at 12, Uros Medic at 13, Daniel Rodriguez at 14 and Colby Covington rounding out the rankings.

Covington has been saying in recent weeks that he was potentially targeting the winner of Burns vs. Malott as an option for his next opponent.

We’ll see in the coming months what plans the UFC matchmakers have for Malott, but a hypothetical Canada vs. USA contrast of personalities could make for a compelling Fight Night main event later this year — especially if the UFC returns to Canada for a second event in 2026. Just a thought.

Bantamweight might be Canada's new strongest division

Malott might currently be the biggest active MMA star from Canada, but overall, welterweight isn’t Canada’s strongest weight class on the men’s side of the roster. That distinction at this point should go to bantamweight.

Aiemann Zahabi is on the doorstep of a title shot at 135 pounds and just two months away from his anticipated White House showdown with former champion Sean O’Malley. The Montreal native is currently the No. 7-ranked bantamweight contender, and he might not be the only Canadian situated in the top 15 for long.

Charles Jourdain is only 30 and is looking like he can be a relevant and ranked contender at 135 pounds for the next few years. The Beloeil, Que., native earned a Fight of the Night bonus for his unanimous decision victory over Kyler Phillips.

“That was a great, technical, badass fight between two guys you could tell wanted to win,” White said of the UFC Winnipeg co-main event.

Jourdain is 3-0 since dropping from 145 to 135 pounds with three performance bonuses. This wasn't his best performance, and he admitted it himself, but that doesn't negate the fact that he has a fan-friendly fighting style with a varied skill set and always pushes the pace until the final horn.

It’s an exciting time for Jourdain fans with so many tantalizing style matchups available within the division. Pairing him with ranked contenders like Vinicius Oliveira or Montel Jackson would be a fitting and exciting challenge at this point in his career.

Fellow bantamweight Jamie Siraj wasn’t able to get a win in his UFC debut, and Serhiy Sidey is the only other Canadian men’s bantamweight on the UFC roster at this time, but having two top talents like Zahabi and Jourdain in the sport’s deepest division is quite impressive.

Lightweight is the most populated division for Canadians, but most of the 155-pounders from up north are coming off losses. Like Mandel Nallo, who nearly pulled off a thrilling stoppage of Jai Herbert on Saturday before getting stopped.

The talent on the women's side of the roster is spread throughout the three weight classes.

Calgary bantamweight Melissa Croden is Canada's best women’s fighter in the UFC at 135 pounds, and she improved to 2-1 with an impressive showing on the prelims.

Strawweight is in strong shape with No. 5-ranked Gillian Robertson closing in on a 115-pound title shot, but No. 6 Loopy Godinez needs to rebound from her recent loss to Tatiana Suarez.

Jasmine Jasudavicius is the lone ranked flyweight from Canada, and the popular 125-pound Niagara Top Team member returned to the win column on the main card by getting back to basics and using her grappling to control her way to a decision.

She should, in theory, be joined in the rankings by compatriot Jamey-Lyn Horth, who was on the wrong side of a controversial decision on the prelims. More on that below…

Horth the victim of a questionable decision

The live betting odds by the end of Round 3 had Horth as the projected winner, leap years ahead of JJ Aldrich after their 15-minute flyweight bout in Winnipeg. However, to the shock of Horth and the home fans, all three judges scored the contest for her American opponent.

“People online were going crazy about the Horth fight,” White said after the event while also suggesting it wasn’t a bad decision. “All three judges scored it the same and two of the judges were Canadian.”

Aldrich, 33, is the No. 14-ranked women’s flyweight contender, and had Horth extended her winning streak to three in a row, she would certainly debut in the rankings next week. After that result, however, she may remain unranked. Horth, 36, out-struck Aldrich in all three rounds and defended both of Aldrich’s takedown attempts in the fight.

It was a competitive match, certainly, yet this one was still a shocker when the decision was read. Two scorecards were in lockstep, but the third judge saw the first and second rounds differently.

Mixed results for Canadian fighters

UFC Winnipeg ended strong for home fighters with Malott and Jourdain sweeping the main and co-main events, but overall, this card was a weak one comparatively. Canadians finished 4-5 on the night. It was the first sub-.500 showing for a card located in Canada since UFC 297 two years ago.

Canucks went 4-2 at UFC 315 in Montreal last May (Malott and Jasudavicius were among the winners on that card) and went 5-2 at UFC Vancouver (Malott, Jourdain and Croden won on that card; Jasudavicius lost)

In 2024, fighters based in Canada went a combined 8-9 after a 6-2 showing at a Fight Night in Edmonton followed a 2-7 finish for Canadians at UFC 297 in Toronto, highlighted by three split decision losses and Malott’s third-round TKO fumble to Neil Magny.

That perfect 6-0 night back at UFC 289 in Vancouver three years ago kicked off the decade for Canadian-based UFC cards after a four-year stretch without an event north of the border.

It is not yet determined whether the UFC will host a second event in Canada in 2026, or where and when the next Canadian event will be.

This was the first UFC event in Winnipeg since 2017, and White added that realistically, it would probably be a while before the organization returns to the city, even though he said he was happy with the turnout and loves Canadian fight fans.