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Gilbert Burns 88-Second Return at UFC BJJ 9

Eighty-eight seconds. That's how long it took Gilbert Burns to remember why he's a genuinely dangerous grappler, even when he's been focused on punching people in the face for two years.

Fri, Jun 12, 09:38 PM ET ↗
Just Dropped
ZEITGEIST

Exclusivity clauses became grappling's real opponent this week, springing Garry Tonon from ONE while a SUG champion sat out because the UFC owned his calendar.

pattern coming into focus

PICKS OF THE WEEKWEEK OF MAY 10, 2026
Jun 12, 2026, 09:08 PM ET

Ben Askren Returns to Fighting After Lung Transplant

Ben Askren is coming back to fighting less than a year after a double lung transplant. We live in a sport where fighters pop anti-inflammatories before morning open mat like vitamins.

Jun 12, 2026, 08:37 PM ET

An MMA Fighter With a 2-2 Record Drowned Saving Four Teenage Girls — He Did More With His Career Than Most Champions Ever Will

We spend a lot of time in this community arguing about records. Submission percentages.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Russian guys are paying $80 to get fake cauliflower ear injected so they look like they train — would you ever buy the one badge you're supposed to earn on the mat?

Cauliflower ear is now a paid cosmetic. Mat time not included.

UPCOMING ON THE MATFULL CALENDAR →
Notable Beats
win
06/11
Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Mitchell won by 8-second arm-triangle at UFC Fight Night, one of the fastest submission finishes on record.

win
06/11
Gabriel Bonfim

Gabriel Bonfim defeated Belal Muhammad by a lopsided 50-45 unanimous decision.

retirement
06/11
Demetrius Johnson

Demetrius Johnson called it quits on IBJJF Masters, saying his life doesn't change if he wins or loses.

controversy
06/07
Renato Canuto

Renato Canuto was suspended after testing positive for modafinil, a focus drug long dismissed in the BJJ community.

win
06/07
Tatiana Suarez

Tatiana Suarez became the first person to ever finish Loopy Godinez, stopping her as a wrestler.

Athlete SpotlightBuchecha →

Buchecha Is 0-2-1 in the UFC After a Round Two KO. The Kindest Outcome Now Is a Quiet Exit.

The most decorated heavyweight in IBJJF history just got knocked out by Ryan Spann. Three fights, zero wins, and the gap between mat legend and MMA contender keeps widening. Greatness in one sport doesn't transfer on a timeline.

  • Ryan Spann finished him in round two.
  • 13-time world champion, still searching for his first UFC win.
  • The grappling resume can't punch back.
DEVELOPING STORIES 16 TRACKED