Gilbert Burns, the Brazilian fighter, has been the staple of the promotion since his debut in 2014. He has put on some memorable performances over the years – not least his 2015 armour submission win over Alex Oliveira in 2015.
Gilbert’s journey into combat sport began when his father offered to fix a customer’s car in exchange for three months of jiu-jitsu lessons for his three sons. Gilbert and his older brother Frederick went on to earn their black belts in jiu-jitsu off the back of them.
Despite being attracted to jiu-jitsu as well, Gilbert’s younger brother’s attention was divided across three sporting loves. Drawn to soccer – the leading sport in Brazil – Gilbert’s younger brother also excelled at Shotokan, a traditional form of karate, winning a state championship at a very young age.
However, as time passed, his attention switched solely to jiu-jitsu. Taking up the lessons alongside his older brothers at the tender age of 10, it would be the beginning of a successful path in the UFC. So when Herbert Burns debuted to victory in the UFC in 2020, many fans wondered if there was a connection between the fighter and Gilbert Burns.
There have been many sets of siblings in the UFC: Nick and Nate Diaz, Ken and Frank Shamrock, and Jim and Dan Miller to name a few. With Herbert’s debut, the UFC added the Burns brothers to that long and illustrious list.
But Herbert’s rise in MMA wasn’t solely down to nepotism; he had carved out an impressive career for himself with stints in ONE, Titan, and Dana White’s Contender Series. And his UFC career started off strong with two victories in five months. With momentum surging, there didn’t seem to be a ceiling for Herbert. But that was when the momentum turned.
Three losses followed to Daniel Pineda, Bill Algeo, and Julio Arce. Losing to Arce in March of last year, Herbert was now almost four years without a victory. The pressure was on to turn his form around. However, his performance in his latest fight proved to be a heavily damaging blow for his UFC career.
Herbert’s lacklustre performance the final straw for UFC brass
Facing Jack Jenkins in what felt like a make-or-break fight, the veteran Aussie seemed to smell the lack of self-belief in Herbert Burns.
Putting him under pressure from the start, Jenkins looked to end the fight, pouncing on a grounded Herbert with a flurry of fists. Realising that the referee wasn’t going to stop the fight, Jenkins stepped back and waited for Burns to get to his feet. But that rise never came.
Looking dazed and exhausted, Herbert refused to get to this feet. Surprised, the referee was forced to call the match, handing victory to Jenkins in a shocking instance of capitulation. The surrender, which angered many UFC fans, seemed to be the last straw for the UFC brass. Last October, Herbert was removed from the UFC roster, all but ending his association with the promotion.
Herbert looked to have the same heart and athleticism of his older brother Gilbert. But if this tale proves anything, it’s that good genes can sometimes only get you so far.
