Gilbert Burns open to wrestling Colby Covington in RAF: ‘That would be a good one’

Gilbert Burns is eyeing a post-MMA career in combat sports, signalling openness to wrestling in RAF, a freestyle wrestling promotion that has attracted several current and former UFC fighters. Burns, who retired from the octagon earlier this year, made a successful UFC BJJ debut in June, submitting Horlando Monteiro in just over a minute. Speaking at UFC White House radio, he confirmed interest in competitive wrestling, noting his grappling skills remain sharp despite limited opportunities to showcase them in recent UFC bouts. Among potential opponents, Burns specifically targeted Colby Covington, a frequent rival during his welterweight tenure. "My wrestling is there," Burns said. "For sure I'd do wrestling. Finally [put my hands on Covington], right? That would be a good one." Covington, currently 4-0 in RAF, has defeated Luke Rockhold, Dillon Danis, and Chris Weidman, and is scheduled to face Belal Muhammad on September 19 at RAF 13. Khamzat Chimaev, another MMA name who crossed over to RAF, recently defeated Danis and will face Tyron Woodley on September 5. Beyond wrestling, Burns expressed interest in no-gi jiu-jitsu matchups against the likes of Anthony Pettis, Nate Diaz, and Dustin Poirier. He remains active off-mat as well, running his own Florida gym and managing fighters. Burns also weighed in on modern jiu-jitsu's evolution, citing leg locks and entertainment value as key distinctions between gi and no-gi competition.