Where Is Gilbert Burns From? Ethnicity, Religion & More

With a 22-8 record, Gilbert Burns has cemented himself as one of the elite UFC welterweights. But outside of the Octagon, ‘Durinho’s story is one that spans across continents. Burns carries a heritage that tells a story deeper than his fight record. 

As fans await his return at UFC Vegas 106 against the undefeated Michael Morales, many are also wondering: What shapes the man behind the gloves? Let’s dive into the story behind the man who once pushed Khamzat Chimaev to the absolute limit! 

Is Gilbert Burns from Africa? Ethnicity and nationality

Gilbert Burns was born in Niterói in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had early exposure to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as he went and trained with his older brothers at the Academia Associação Oriente. While he was born in Brazil, his ethnicity is a bit different.

Burns is of mixed Portuguese and African descent. And during a hilarious chat with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson on the Jaxxon Podcast, Burns dropped a surprising fact. When asked about his afro hairstyle, he smiled and revealed, “My grandma is African. She came all the way from Africa. I think Nigeria. But yeah, that’s where the hair came from.”

That sparked one of the podcast’s funniest moments. Jackson asked if Burns ever braided his hair into cornrows. Burns said he does for fights, as the hair can get in his face. That’s when Rampage couldn’t resist and laughed, “You be looking like Michael Jackson!” The moment was light, but it carried weight. Though born and raised in Brazil, a piece of Africa runs through ‘Durinho’s veins.

However, Brazil has lent a lot to Burns when it comes to his mixed-martial-arts career. He started training under Welton Ribeiro and won several Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships before deciding to join the UFC.

He achieved a 3rd-degree black belt in BJJ under Rafael ‘Fofitio’ Barros. He’s won multiple championships as a brown belt as well as secured first position in the No-Gi championship back in 2010, right before winning the world title the following year. 

Which religion does Gilbert Burns follow?

Step into Gilbert Burns’s Instagram bio and you’ll find simple words: “Jesus Follower, Husband, Dad, Fighter.” In a world full of hype and highlight reels, Burns wears his faith like armor. And that belief keeps him grounded, even when the Octagon turns into chaos.

But if you think Gilbert’s fighting fire started in the cage, think again. Durinho’s MMA journey started when his parents (Herbert and Tania Burns) found out about his chronic bronchitis during his childhood. This disease forced Burns to take Adrenaline shots to function properly. As the shots were pretty expensive, his parents encouraged the kid to take martial arts as his hobby to get in shape.

Jiu-Jitsu was introduced to Gilbert Burns and his brothers(Herbert Burns and Frederick Burns) back when they discovered a kimono in a car left in their father’s workshop. The owner of the car, Master Luiz Carlos, agreed on a barter system for his car’s retirement. 

In return for the work, he would sponsor each boy in the Burns family for a three-month-long martial arts session. Gilbert Burns’s father assured his boys to be the best in the academy as he was not financially stable enough to pay for the academy fees beyond the quarter. And just like that, a fire was lit.

Gilbert did more than meet expectations, he crushed them. His brother Herbert also found his place in the UFC, while Frederick pursued his own martial path. 

Now, Burns faces his next test in the form of the undefeated Michael Morales at UFC Vegas 106. At 38, many wonder, does ‘Durinho’ still have the spark? But if his past tells us anything, it’s that Gilbert Burns never shows up empty-handed.  Do you think Burns will derail Morales’s hype train? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!