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When did Gilbert Burns get his black belt? – Gilbert Alexander Pontes Burns, born on July 20, 1986, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and submission grappler who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
With an impressive grappling background, Burns is a three-time World Champion and World Cup gold medalist. He is also the older brother of fellow UFC fighter Herbert Burns and currently holds the #5 spot in the UFC welterweight rankings.
Gilbert Burns initially trained with Nova Uniao until the 2007 World Championship, where he achieved second place. In 2009, he gained recognition by winning a silver medal at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Throughout 2010, Gilbert Burns experienced international success, reaching the semifinals of the European Open, winning the World Pro Cup trials, securing victory at the World Cup finals in Abu Dhabi, and emerging victorious at the Brazilian Nationals.
His greatest achievement came in 2011 when he won the gold medal at the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships. In 2015, Burns earned a bronze medal at the Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling championships (ADCC).
Outside of grappling, Burns made his UFC debut on July 26, 2014, as a late replacement against Andreas Stahl at UFC on Fox 12. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Burns then moved to the lightweight division and secured a submission victory over Christos Giagos in his second UFC bout, earning him his first Performance of the Night bonus.
Throughout his career, Burns has faced various opponents, including notable fighters like Rashid Magomedov, Michel Prazeres, and Dan Hooker. He has achieved significant victories and also faced setbacks. Notably, Burns fought for the UFC Welterweight Championship against Kamaru Usman in February 2021 but lost via technical knockout in the third round.
In recent years, Burns has continued to compete in the welterweight division, earning victories against Stephen Thompson and Neil Magny, among others. However, he suffered a loss to Khamzat Chimaev in a highly acclaimed fight that earned the Fight of the Night award.
In 2023, Gilbert Burns faced Jorge Masvidal, winning via unanimous decision, and later fought Belal Muhammad, experiencing a loss by unanimous decision.
When did Gilbert Burns get his black belt?
During his teenage years, Gilbert dedicated a significant amount of time to training at Associação Oriente de Jiu-Jitsu in Niteroi.
His commitment and hard work paid off, earning him two silver medals at the IBJJF World Championships while competing as a brown belt. Following his impressive performance and achievements, Gilbert was granted the prestigious black belt in 2007 by his coach, “Fofitio.”
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