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UFC Vegas 106 marked Gilbert Burns' fourth consecutive loss. However, that somehow led to a fan tweeting about how easily he believes Islam Makhachev will beat Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title when they finally cross swords. The logic behind the tweet relies on an assumption, though.
The assumption is that Della Maddalena was losing to Burns at UFC 299 before landing a fateful knee halfway through round three, after which he knocked 'Durinho' out with follow-up ground-and-pound. So, the fan in question opined that Makhachev would have a relatively easy time outgrappling the new champion.
"Gilbert Burns was up 2-0 vs JDM. He was just starched unconscious in 3 minutes vs a random bum. You see what I'm getting at? Makhachev, arm triangle, round 1. People will be shocked at how easy we make it look."
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Makhachev is widely hailed as one of the best wrestlers and grapplers in the entire sport, and if Burns was able to outwrestle and outgrapple him across two rounds, there's no reason the Dagestani phenom shouldn't be able to. That is the entire crux of the fan argument, especially after UFC Vegas 106.
Burns is no longer an elite welterweight, having suffered four consecutive losses, with the latest being a three-minute TKO against the unbeaten Michael Morales. However, MMA math rarely works in a sport defined by styles and gameplans, and Makhachev is a wildly different takedown artist compared to Burns.
Exactly how the matchup could transpire deserves a much closer look, especially given that 'JDM' was struggling with injury and had a much better defensive wrestling and counter-grappling showing against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315.
UFC Vegas 106 changed the landscape of welterweight
No longer is Gilbert Burns, a mainstay in the welterweight top 10, regarded as a top fighter in the division. Ahead of his loss to Michael Morales at UFC Vegas 106, he was labeled a gatekeeper, having already lost three consecutive fights.
Check out Michael Morales beating Gilbert Burns:
This, though, has further implications. Come the rankings reshuffle, Burns could find himself out of the top 10; replaced by a younger, fresher face. Furthermore, the loss sparked retirement calls for him.
At 38 years old, with no prospect of ever competing for the title again, it's a decision he ought to consider.
