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Gilbert Burns Updates Fans On Shoulder Injury Sustained At UFC 288

Gilbert Burns' body could be feeling the effects of fighting three times in just a few months.

Drew Beaupré

(Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports)

Gilbert Burns is hopeful that the shoulder injury he suffered during his co-main event bout with Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 won’t require surgery.

The welterweight matchup between Burns and Muhammad was a late addition to UFC 288 after the card’s originally scheduled co-main event between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush was rescheduled for UFC 289. Despite only taking the fight on a few weeks notice, both men agreed to compete in a five-round affair with significant implications for the UFC’s welterweight division.

The bout ended up being a fairly one-sided unanimous decision win for Muhammad, and Burns appeared visibly frustrated as the fight went on due to an apparent shoulder injury that he’d sustained. Speaking at the UFC 288 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White revealed the Brazilian had hurt his shoulder early on in the matchup.

“He had a tear in his shoulder, I think it was in that first scramble on the ground there when he took him down,” White said (h/t

MMAMania.com

). “He’s got a tear…To think that he would fight with one shoulder is not shocking, he’s an absolute savage.”

READ MORE: Belal Muhammad Outlasts Gilbert Burns at UFC 288 In New Jersey 

Following his loss to Muhammad. “Durinho” also sent out a tweet indicating he’d be getting his shoulder looked at to find out if the injury was serious enough to require surgery.

“Checking on the shoulder tomorrow! Hoping for no surgery”

Burns’ appearance at UFC 288 marked his third fight in less than four months after he lost a unanimous decision to Khamzat Chimaev in his only bout of 2022. The Brazilian began this year with a dominant submission win over Neil Magny at UFC 283 before defeating Jorge Masvidal at last month’s UFC 287, but this setback against Muhammad will delay Burns’ hopes of earning another welterweight title shot.

As difficult a result as it may have been for Burns, arguably no fighter at UFC 288 gained as much as Muhammad did with his unanimous decision victory. “Remember the Name” entered the night as the UFC’s #4-ranked welterweight contender, and after earning the ninth win in his last 10 outings, Muhammad is squarely in the conversation for a shot at the welterweight title.

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