UFC Vegas 97 went down last Saturday night (Sept. 7, 2024) inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, leaving several fighters feeling the post-fight blues. Among them was Jessica Andrade, who suffered a tough decision defeat at the hands of surging Flyweight contender, Natalia Silva.
And Kyle Nelson, who was viciously stopped by rising Featherweight contender Steve Garcia (see it again here). But which fighter is suffering from the worst post-fight hangover, now a few days removed from the show?
Gilbert Burns.
Coming into his headlining bout against Sean Brady, Burns had already revealed that he didn’t have too much time remaining in the fight game. And it’s probably something that Dana White didn’t like hearing, as he is known for saying that if a fighter is already talking about retirement, it’s probably a good idea to do so.
And it doesn’t help that “Durinho” came in on a two-fight losing streak and left suffering a third straight loss, bringing his record to 2-4 in his last six fights. Throughout the bout, Burns simply couldn’t get much going anywhere, and Brady pretty much controlled the fight and simply had more energy and output than the 38-year old veteran.
It simply wasn’t the same Burns we’ve been accustomed to seeing. The one who went to war with Khamzat Chimaev and lived to tell about it. The man who at one time worked his way up to a 170-pound title fight against Kamaru Usman after defeating Tyron Woodley. The same man who has wins over Neil Magny, Jorge Masvidal and Stephen Thompson. That fighter, sadly, is long gone and all we have left is the memories of his battles.
Will he cash in on his retirement after suffering his third straight defeat? I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes to that decision in a couple of weeks.
“I’m a little bit disappointed. I know I have the grit, I know I can fight hard, but I didn’t let go,” he said post-fight (via MMA Junkie), before talking about what the future possibly holds for him.
“I don’t know. That’s a good question. I didn’t think about that, so I’ve got to rethink,” Burns said. “I’ve got to go back, talk to my coaches, see what’s next. At the same time, give a little time to my family. They give up so much when I’m in a camp for a fight. I’m gonna go back, spend time with the family, go back to train. I don’t have any injuries, thank God. I lost, but at least the body is feeling good.”
If he does return to action, perhaps a showdown against the loser of the upcoming fight between Rafael dos Anjos and Geoff Neal is in order. Both “RDA” and “Handz of Steel” are on two-fight losing streaks which means the loser of this bout will be in the same must-win boat that Burns is in.
For complete UFC Vegas 97 results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.