Gilbert Burns admitted this week that he seriously considered retirement following his loss to Michael Morales last year, before ultimately deciding to continue his fighting career.
The 39-year-old Brazilian welterweight (22-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC), who is set to headline UFC Winnipeg against Mike Mallott (13-2-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) this Saturday, suffered a stoppage defeat to Morales at the UFC Apex in May. The loss marked Burns’ fourth consecutive defeat, raising questions about his future in the sport.
In an interview with Shakiel Mahjouri on Paramount Plus, Burns revealed that the immediate aftermath of the fight left him questioning whether it was time to walk away.
“I thought about it. I really thought (about retiring) because half of me thought that I quit in that fight,” Burns said.
However, his perspective shifted after reviewing the bout and reflecting on the circumstances surrounding the stoppage.
“Then I got to re-watch it again and then I have the concussion and then a couple other things. It’s like, ‘okay, I definitely didn’t quit,’” he explained. “If I have that concussion right now and then I rewatched the fight and the guy hit me very hard, and he was huge too…that’s okay, that one.”
Burns ultimately came to terms with the defeat, attributing it to the physical toll of the fight and the strength of his opponent rather than any lack of resolve.
“I didn’t quit in that fight. That guy is a monster,” he added.
