It appears Gilbert Burns could use one of his remaining UFC fights to welcome undefeated welterweight contender Michael Morales to the next level of competition at 170 pounds.
Burns, who turned 38 this past July, has fallen on some tough times inside of the Octagon. The former UFC welterweight title challenger has lost his last three trips to the cage. His opponents do include Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena, and Sean Brady, but Burns’ last UFC win came over a washed-up Jorge Masvidal back in April 2023. In total, “Durinho” is just 3-5 in his last eight UFC fights.
Needless to say, Burns needs a big-time performance in his next outing to stay afloat in a deep and rapidly-evolving welterweight division. Burns already stated he doesn’t have much tread left on his tires so 2025 will be a big year to prove he’s still a top threat. The Brazilian veteran may be biting off more than he can chew, but Burns is expecting to fight undefeated welterweight Michael Morales next.
This is according to a recent report by AG.Fight, which spoke to Burns about his next fight inside of the Octagon. Nothing is concrete at this time, but it’s a plausible matchup to make given Burns’ recent struggles and Morales’ continued ascension at 170 pounds.
Morales, 25, is part of the next wave of contenders in the UFC’s jam-packed welterweight division. He’s currently 5-0 inside of the Octagon and coming off a first-round TKO win over battle-tested veteran, Neil Magny, this past August. Morales needs a big name to launch him to the top of the division while testing his evolved skill set and Burns checks off both boxes.
Thoughts of this potential Burns vs. Morales matchup?
