UFC Winnipeg – Gilbert Burns’ UFC farewell ended in defeat, while Mike Malott moved closer to the welterweight top 10 and Aienmann Zahabi’s bantamweight momentum grew.
Gilbert Burns went to war in his own way at UFC Winnipeg, but the night still ended with him taking off his gloves in the center of the Octagon—tears and all—after a fifth straight UFC loss that likely marks the end of his run.
Burns’ retirement moment carried the weight of a fighter who always kept showing up. even when results got harder to come by.. A former jiu-jitsu champion who debuted in the UFC with an 8-0 start. he built his reputation as a tough. durable welterweight who could survive chaos and still find ways to make opponents uncomfortable.. If the outcome wasn’t what he wanted, the way he finished—quietly acknowledging the end—was unmistakably personal.
Injuries. stylistic matchups. and simply running into elite opponents too often can flatten a record. but Burns’ UFC résumé doesn’t shrink because a skid landed at the wrong time.. He earned title contention in 2021 against Kamaru Usman after a strong stretch at 170 pounds that included wins over Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley. and he spent the later part of his career testing himself against top-tier names as an undersized welterweight.. For fans who’ve watched him for years. the last night in Winnipeg felt like closure rather than a sudden break.
Malott makes a case for the top 10
With the win, Malott is now positioned closer to where the UFC’s welterweight conversation really accelerates.. Burns entered the weekend ranked No.. 11, and Malott’s performance should move him up next week.. That matters because welterweight is where timing. endurance. and opponent recognition collide—and Malott’s showing suggested he can handle the spotlight.
There’s also a storyline tugging at matchmakers: Colby Covington has floated the idea of targeting the winner of Burns vs.. Malott.. If that interest becomes concrete. the UFC could be setting up a next step that forces Malott to prove himself against a style that demands urgency and ruthless output rather than measured control.
Canada’s bantamweight picture keeps sharpening
Jourdain’s unanimous decision win over Kyler Phillips didn’t come with a perfect “everything clicked” badge—he acknowledged it wasn’t his best night.. Still, the result reinforces a broader theme: he fights like someone who believes the pace belongs to him.. Since dropping from 145 to 135. he’s found rhythm quickly. improved his win output. and earned multiple performance bonuses while continuing to push action late into rounds.
What makes this especially important for Canadian fans is what’s waiting in the division.. Zahabi and Jourdain are not isolated talents; the bantamweight room in the UFC is packed with matchups that reward style variety.. Pairing Jourdain with ranked contenders—names like Vinicius Oliveira or Montel Jackson were discussed in the wider context of what would make sense—would feel like a natural next chapter rather than a gamble.
A controversial beatdown that didn’t land on the record
Horth was competitive enough that the early live-betting read expected her to take over as the rounds progressed. and she was defending Aldrich’s takedown attempts while landing strikes across all three rounds.. Yet the judges all scored the fight for Aldrich, leaving Horth and the home crowd stunned.
Dana White later suggested the decision wasn’t a bad one in the strict sense. pointing out that all three scorecards aligned and that two judges were Canadian.. That detail won’t erase the immediate question fans will keep asking: how could the same round-by-round story be told so differently?. For Horth, it interrupts a potential ranking push; for Aldrich, it keeps her in the conversation at No.. 14 without forcing the conversation into a “what if” scenario.
Canadians did not leave with momentum as a group
Across recent stops—Montreal, Vancouver, and earlier Canadian events—the results have swung between strong collective nights and sharper setbacks.. There have been bright spots: Malott and Jasudavicius both helped turn previous cards into wins. and Jourdain’s recent climb is clearly part of an emerging trend.. But Saturday’s ledger reminded everyone that depth doesn’t automatically translate into outcomes; the UFC’s matchmaking and execution margins remain ruthless.
For now, the larger takeaway is that Winnipeg still moved the storyline forward for Canadian MMA—especially at 170 and 135.. Malott’s win brings urgency to the welterweight ranking picture. Jourdain keeps sharpening bantamweight credibility. and the flyweight controversy ensures fans will be debating how closely the sport’s judging matches what viewers believe they’re seeing.
The next question is where the UFC goes from here for Canada.. It’s not yet confirmed whether another event arrives in 2026 or when the next Winnipeg return would realistically happen.. White expressed that a return to the city could take time, even while praising the turnout.. For the Canadian fanbase. the incentive is clear: when the UFC sets up the right matchups. the home crowd doesn’t just watch—it builds the momentum that shapes the next rankings race.
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