Every single fighter in the world of mixed martial arts wants a fight that could get them higher up in the rankings. After all, each and every one of the fighters has set their aim at the championship belts of their respective divisions. However, the same cannot be said for Gilbert Burns. Of course, he desires to wear the welterweight belt around his waist. But even though he ranks at #8, he agreed to fight the #12 welterweight contender, Michael Morales. This move had created quite an uproar in the fighting community. The fans had only one question on their mind – Why did Burns choose to fight a lower-ranking fighter? 

Such a matchup came with almost nothing for the Brazilian. Defeating a #12 fighter while being a #8 contender simply didn’t add to his resume. On the other hand, Morales has been quickly rising through the ranks, and defeating the 38-year-old would definitely get him higher up in the rankings. So, during a conversation with Hablemos MMA’s Danny Segura, ‘Durinho’ declared that the undefeated welterweight prospect deserved to be in that spot. He revealed that Morales, at 25 years old, had already had 17 fights, with the undefeated record further adding to his legend. 

As the conversation continued, Burns said, “I was like Michael Morales years ago. I was making noise and making my way to the top and Damian Maia, Gunnar Nelson gave me the opportunity. I feel like I have to do the same. It’s a test. If I go and win, I knock him off, and he can have another opportunity in the future. But he needs an opportunity, and who am I to say no?”

Burns claimed that he was in the fight business to compete against the best. He refused to be picky when it came to a fight. ‘Durinho’ asserted that he’d fight anyone that the fans and the UFC big guns wanted him to fight. On top of that, Burns is currently on a 3-fight losing spree, with his last battles being losses against Sean Brady, Jack Della Maddalena, and Belal Muhammad. He had to come out of the rut.

Now, Verdict MMA shared a post on Instagram where Burns, via a conversation with Kevin Iole, revealed his take on choosing to fight Morales. The quote read, “People ask me why I took this fight against Morales, but I don’t see it that way. I’m coming off two losses, I have to give someone the opportunity.” On top of that, Burns desperately needs a win, and he believes that he can defeat Morales. 

Soon after the post went public on Instagram, the fighting community swooped into the comments section with their minds running wild. Let’s see what the fans had to say about Burns’ words, shall we?

Fight fans rally behind Gilbert Burns agreeing to fight Michael Morales

Needless to say, the Brazilian’s words greatly impressed the fighting community. Some of the fans even dismissed Max Holloway as the BMF champion, and put Burns on that pedestal. One of the fans wrote, “BMF line of thought. I don’t know if anyone dislikes Gilbert, but he’s an amazing fighter and person overall.” Another fan branded him as the “True BMF.” One more fan added, “It’s called being a real one.”

This was a mentality that truly won the fans’ hearts. You see, waiting for a higher-ranked opponent had the chance of putting a stop to the division. It’s an endless cycle of callouts. But it can be stopped if the fighters agree to fight anyone that the UFC throws at them. And Burns expressed that beautifully. One of the fans wrote, “Wish more would have this mentality. I think Morales will get it done but big respect to Gilbert 👊.” Another fan wrote, “More fighters should have this mentality ufc giving out to many gifts.”

Meanwhile, some of the fans expressed their affinity towards the Brazilian MMA star. One fan commented, “That’s why Burns is one of my favorite fighters of all time. Humble, respectful & just a nice guy. Also he lost his last fight against Brady who just got beat by Belal, and he had like one minute left to beat the current champ if he didn’t rolled out that way 🐐.” Another fan claimed, “Two losses both to champs mind you and the first of which was a #1 contender fight. Burns is still a savage and too many people counting him out.”

And the one thing that all of the fans felt was a heightened sense of respect for Burns. One fan claimed, “Real dawg. Gotta respect people who understand life this way.” Yet another decided to weigh in on his defeats, but acknowledged that getting ready to fight without much of a thought was pretty commendable indeed: “his losses have aged well, it’s crazy how big of an underdog he is.”

What are your thoughts on Burns’ logic behind choosing to fight the #12 welterweight contender? Do you think ‘Durinho’ can beat his opponent on 17 May 2025? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.