Gilbert Burns believes that his teammate Ian Machado Garry has rightfully earned the nickname "The Future."
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Gilbert Burns believes that his teammate Ian Machado Garry has rightfully earned the nickname “The Future.”
During UFC 292, Garry showcased his dominance over the seasoned veteran Neil Magny, who was once an opponent of “Durinho” (Gilbert Burns), in a commanding 15-minute performance. This victory further solidified his standing as a rising star in the 170-pound division and marked him as a future contender.
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During an appearance on the MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast, Burns, a former contender for the welterweight title and presently ranked in the top five of the division, delved into a conversation about Garry’s position among the upcoming generation of burgeoning welterweight talents.
“I think so — in a few years, yes,” Burns on if he sees Garry holding the UFC welterweight title one day. “He’s a great kid, 25 years old. This kid is a badass. Before the fight, he said he would do all that — he pretty much called the entire fight beforehand, and pulled it off.”
Presently, Burns is in the process of recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained during his grueling five-round battle with Belal Muhammad in May. Remarkably, this fight took place within a month of his victory over Jorge Masvidal. His anticipated return to the octagon is scheduled for early 2024, during which he envisions an influx of emerging talents who will pose future challenges to the welterweight division.
Rakhmonov (17-0) has impressively won his last five bouts since entering the UFC, with his most recent victory coming via a standing choke against Geoff Neal. Maddalena (15-2) has maintained a perfect record within the UFC, securing five victories to date, and is set to make his return on September 16th against Kevin Holland.
Both Bonfim and Morales, promising talents discovered through Dana White’s Contender Series, boast unblemished MMA records of 15-0. Bonfim has achieved two first-round guillotine choke victories in his UFC career, while Morales has notched two early stoppages before earning a decision win over Max Griffin this past July.
Although Burns, at 37, is older than Magny, he believes his mentality sets him apart from other high-ranking welterweights.
“Thank God I didn’t have as many surgeries,” Burns said. “‘Wonderboy,’ it feels like he has surgery every time he fights. He’s all broken. I’ve been knocked out, TKO’d, knocked down, but there were many fights where I wasn’t any [of those]. I have good jiu-jitsu and I can use that too. I’m healthy, I’m fine, and I’m hungry to fight. I’ll only leave [MMA] if I lose three or four in a row and badly, getting knocked out. Then, I’m out. But I’m fighting. If I’m still doing it, I’ll keep doing it for years.”
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